Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Shadows of Darkness
by Special Operative Blaire
Summary: A Charmander and a Treecko start an expolaration team in an all-Pokemon world, but little do they know that they will soon embark on an adventure involving a dark and sinister force. Chapter 13 is now finished!
1. It Begins

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon in any way, shape, or form. This story has been written purely to entertain the millions of Pokemon fans out there. Thank you.**

"Boy, it's times like this I wish I was a Charizard," a lone Charmander mused to himself. "Ducking and dodging through all this vegetation is enough to make any Pokémon wish he had wings!" the small fire-type chuckled. For the past few days, young Charcoal Charmander had been on a journey. A journey to his lifelong ambition. The Exploration Guild of Cobalt City. There, he would become an apprentice and work his way towards becoming a famous and well-respected explorer. And he couldn't have picked a better place to do so, for Cobalt City's guild was the best in the land, having more celebrated explorers graduate there then many, many others.

And Charcoal planned to follow in their footsteps.

Ever since his tail flame had been no more than a mere flicker, Charcoal had dreamed of traveling the world, searching for lost relics, going on grand adventures, and looking danger right in the eye. And soon, he would get the chance to live his dream at long last. Ever since he had left his home on Mt. Cleft, that was the one thing that was always, always on his mind.

The forest in which Charcoal was traveling in was a lush area known as Maple Forest. Towering, at least to a Pokémon his size, trees made up the land, their fallen leaves forming a red, orange, and yellow carpet on the forest floor. Pokémon of all shapes scattered through the woods, foliage crunching beneath their feet. With cautious steps, the young Charmander walked, for he knew not all these Pokémon were of the friendly persuasion. Staraptor circled the air, ready to swoop down on unintentional trespassers. Rattata scurried around, large ears perked up and able to hear any and all intrusions from a fifty-foot radius. And Shroomish lay hidden underneath the leaves, ready to use the paralyzing move of Stun Spore on whoever makes the mistake of stepping on them.

Charcoal walked on, stopping every few minutes to peek over his shoulders and make sure no one was following him. Sometimes, if he thought he saw some sort of movement, the fire-type would duck behind a rock or hide inside a hollowed-out log until the danger had passed. Usually, it was just a harmless Zigzagoon, or a lazy Slakoth. At one time though, a small Weedle crawled past the orange Pokémon. While the light brown bug-type itself did not pose too much of a threat to Charcoal, a Weedle in the area almost always meant that a group of Beedrill were nearby. And those wasp-like Pokémon were not ones you wished to meet.

"So far so good," Charcoal whispered to himself. "I've been on my journey for three days, and I've not run into any trouble. I don't want anything to make me late to this year's class at the Guild." the small Charmander went on, hands clutching his backpack straps, and a smile on his face. Yes, it seemed like everything would go off without a hitch on his trip. He'd get through Maple Forest, he'd enter Cobalt City, he'd sign up to be a guild apprentice, and he'd begin his training. It was a simple as that.

Or so it seemed.

The sound of tree limbs rustling caught Charcoal's attention. The adolescent Charmander looked up to find two such branches swaying up and down. "Hmm…..I wonder what could have caused that," the orange Pokémon wondered. "It can't be the wind 'cuz there's no breeze today. Was it another Pokémon? Yeah, it must've been," Charcoal nodded to himself. "But what kind of Pokémon was it? A Mankey? Nah, they don't live around here. Do they?"

"Well Charmander don't live in this forest either and you're here."

For the first time since leaving home, Charcoal was completely caught off guard. "Who? What? Where? When? Why? Who are you? What are you doing here? Where are you? When did you come here? Why are you here?" The Charmander's heartbeat quickened until it felt like his life-giving organ would leap clear out of his chest. Like lighting, Charcoal's eyes darted in all directions, searching for the source of the voice.

Laughter came from atop the tree the orange Pokémon was situated under. Somebody was actually enjoying his plight!

"Alright, who are you?! Show yourself!" the fire-type demanded.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You're really not from around here, are you?"

"You still haven't answered my question…" Charcoal replied, growing more annoyed by the second.

Complete silence swept over the forest as the voice's owner thought of an answer-much to Charcoal's chagrin. Finally, it spoke. "Well……I 'spose I can tell ya. Take a gander up here, pal."

Hesitantly, the adolescent Charmander swept his eyes up toward the tree, and it was at long last he saw the creature that had conversed with him for the past minute. Sitting on the tree's largest branch, was a Treecko. The grass-type looked to be around Charcoal's age and was dressed in a dark green vest and blue rimmed sunglasses.

"The name's Timber Treecko. Now, it's your turn to tell me who you are," the green Pokémon grinned, eyeing the red vest, and matching bandanna-wearing Charmander below him.

"What's my name? It's….uh……….Charcoal. My name is Charcoal," the fire Pokémon answered after much deliberation.

"Charcoal, eh?" Timber repeated. "It suites you, being a Charmander and all."

"And I could say something similar regarding your name," the fire type grinned. "Well, I'd better be going. See ya later, Timber." The little Lizard Pokémon waved as he resumed walking.

Timber's gaze followed him. The Wood Gecko Pokémon still had a few questions to ask the Charmander, and he wasn't about to let him go that easily. "Hey! Wait up!"

Charcoal turned around to see Timber jumping from branch to branch in an attempt to catch up with him. "Yes?" the Charmander asked, still walking.

"There are still a few things I want to know about you. Where did you come from?"

Charcoal thought for a moment. Even though Timber had not acted the least bit hostile toward him, he wasn't sure he could trust the Treecko completely. He seemed friendly enough but……

"What, you don't remember?"

"Huh?"

"Did you forget where you came from?" Timber said to the confused Charcoal.

"No, I didn't forget," the fire-type answered.

"Then where did you come from?"

"I'm from….the northernmost region," Charcoal said finally.

Timber chuckled. "See? That wasn't so hard, now was it?"

"Yeah, I suppose you're right, Timber," the Pokémon agreed. He glanced at the jumping Treecko. "Say Timber, can I ask you something?"

"Sure! Ask me anything!"

"How can you leap from branch to branch and hold a conversation with me at the same time?" the Charmander wondered.

That jinxed it. While pondering the question he was asked, Timber tumbled out of a tree. The Treecko landed on the ground with a thud, leaves crunching beneath his weight.

"You alright?" Charcoal tried to suppress a laugh.

Ugh…yeah, I'm good," the grass-type grumbled. Timber was lying on his back, a look of shame on his face.

"Need any help? The adolescent Charmander offered.

"Thanks, but I can manage," the green Pokémon said as he picked himself off the ground.

"Hmm….odd."

"What's odd?"

"I've always thought that Treecko were better in trees than that," Charcoal joked.

"A minor technicality." Timber replied. "And besides, who are you to talk? A Charmander can't do anything like that." A smirk crossed the Pokémon's face. He just_ knew _he'd get that fire-type back.

"True," the orange fire-type agreed. "Very true. But if we could, we would at least watch where we're going," he finished calmly.

Timber's jaw dropped. Charcoal could only laugh at his expression. "Thought you could get a little payback in there, eh?"

The Treecko threw his hands up in defeat. "Okay, okay, you got me. Now we're even, right?"

"I suppose so. Yes."

Suddenly, Charcoal felt his world flip upside-down over and over again. The next thing he knew, he was lying face up in a ditch, a bruise on his chest where Timber had tackled him. With a wild look in his eyes, he kicked the grass-type off himself. Timber landed on his back a few feet away.

"What was that for?!" Charcoal asked, rage in his voice.

"I'm…I'm sorry I shoved you, but…." Timber was cut off by Charcoal.

"I knew there was something I didn't like about you the moment you surprised me back there!"

"What are you talking about?" the Treecko snapped. "I just saved you!"

"You call shoving someone into a ditch saving them?!"

"Why you…" Timber's insult was interrupted by a loud buzzing noise. Charcoal's gaze darted overhead. What he saw caused his eyes to widen.

They were surrounded on all sides. By a dozen Beedrill.


	2. Traversing Sensations

**Disclaimer: I do not, nor will ever own, Pokemon. Thank you and back to our regularly scheduled porgram.**

Charcoal starred at Timber. "So, you were telling the truth……." The Charmander whispered.

"You're forgiven," Timber replied.

The two Pokémon returned to the matter at hand. "How are we going to get rid of these Beedrill?" Charcoal asked under his breath.

"You could always burn them to a crisp," the young Treecko suggested.

"Um…there is a slight problem with that," the fire-type began uneasily. "I can't use fire attacks just yet."

A look of disbelief spread over Timber's face, but was quickly subsided when the green Pokémon remembered something. "Well, if it's any consolation, I'm unable to use grass attacks."

"There's only one option then." Charcoal said.

"Yes….." Timber paused before shouting the words, "Bring it on, Beedrill!"

"Timber! Don't…!" Charcoal yelled, albeit too late, as the Wood Gecko Pokémon had angered the Beedrill even more. Charcoal barely had enough time to sidestep out of the way when he saw to large, conical, white stingers heading for him. "Close one…." The Lizard Pokémon muttered under his breath. Another wasp-like Pokémon made a dive for the adolescent Charmander. Charcoal leaped into the air and hit the Beedrill across the face with a Scratch attack. The Bug-type was put off balance long enough for Charcoal to whack it over the head with his tail. Dazed, the Beedrill hit the ground.

Meanwhile, Timber had just reached the highest branch of a tall tree. "Here I come!" he shouted, jumping off. "With a Pound attack!" the Treecko's thick tail hit a Beedrill square in the back without it realizing what happened. The wasp-like Pokémon then felt a Quick Attack on the back of its head, sending it to the forest floor. Timber pumped an arm up in victory. "Oh yeah! Who's the greatest? I am!"

"Focus on the battle, Timber!" Charcoal cried. The Charmander was frantically searching for a way out of this battle. There was no way he and Timber could hold off this horde of Beedrill very long. "There must be a way out of this mess….." it was then the fire-type noticed a large hole in the side of the ditch. Maybe they could hide in there….

Charcoal's claws wrapped around Timber's wrist. With a yank, he managed to drag the grass-type into the hole with him.

"Charcoal? Wh-.." Charcoal put a finger to his lips, signaling the Treecko to be quiet.

"Keep it down. And don't make any sudden movements," the adolescent Charmander whispered.

For what seemed like eternity, the two Pokémon laid inside that hole. While Charcoal was able to stay as still as a statue, Timber was constantly fidgeting. It was clear he was still itching for a battle. Charcoal knew he meant well, but there were still too many Beedrill to fight off. And they couldn't stay hidden for long. Those wasp-like Pokémon would not give up without a fight. It could only be a matter of time before the Charmander and Treecko were discovered. Then what would they do?

It was at that moment Charcoal caught sight of a small beam of light hitting the wall. Slowly, ever so slowly, he turned around and followed the beam's trail to find where the light had come from.

The sound of scrapping and Charcoal grunting caught Timber's attention. He turned his head to see Charcoal struggling with a large boulder.

"Hey Timber, would you mind giving me a hand here?" Charcoal asked, sweat dripping from his brow.

"No problem, Charcoal!" Timber called out. He made his way toward the struggling Charmander.

"Keep your voice down, remember?"

"Right. Sorry 'bout that," Timber apologized.

"Ready?" the Lizard Pokémon whispered. "On the count of three-one, two, three!" With a grunt, the two managed to shove the boulder a little ways, revealing the entrance to a tunnel.

Timber raised an eyebrow. "What a stroke of luck to find a tunnel here."

"Come on, we're going in." Charcoal squeezed through the crack.

"Why? What about the Beedrill?"

"There are too many of them for us to fight by ourselves, Timber," the Charmander explained.

The Treecko scoffed. "I can beat those things blindfolded!" he bragged.

"This is no time for bragging, Timber. Come on."

Reluctantly, Timber squeezed his body through the crack. Once both Pokémon were on the other side, they pushed the round stone back to its original position, blocking any entrance.

"Follow me, Timber," Charcoal whispered, taking a few steps. The Treecko followed close behind him. There wasn't much else he could do.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

For an hour the two Pokémon said nothing to each other. Complete silence filled the tunnel as Timber and Charcoal walked.

After a while, the two Pokémon began to notice a large room a little ways off.

"Think we might have found a way out?" Timber inquired.

"Possibly. But we won't know for certain until we enter the room," responded Charcoal.

However, when they peered inside, both Pokémon realized they were not at the end of their journey just yet. The room was more like a giant hallway. It was clear Timber and Charcoal were going to be in this cave for quite a while.

"I guess we still have a ways to go." Charcoal said. "Come on," the fire-type Pokémon slowly entered the wide cavern.

Something happened.

When Charcoal stepped into the cavern, a strange sensation washed over him. It felt like some sort of fog was enveloping him and he began to get extremely light-headed. A wave of heat passed through the Charmander's body from his head to toes. A wave of coldness followed, this time moving the opposite direction. The Lizard Pokémon's skin soon began to tingle, and he soon felt numb all over.

Then, all returned to normal.

"Whoa…" Charcoal whispered, still trying to comprehend what had just happened. "Timber, did you just feel that?"

"Yeah, I did. Wonder what it was……"

"Timber! Look out!"

Acting on instinct, Timber leapt high into the air. Looking down, he noticed a wild Rattata had run underneath him. A smile spread across the Treecko's face.

"Just what I like, a little challenge. Here I come!" a Quick Attack slammed into the Rattata's back. The rat-like Pokémon responded with a loud scream, and leapt to the side to avoid the next attack.

Hearing its buddy's cry, a second Rattata sprang toward Timber, its mouth wide open, and ready to bite its target.

"Oh no you don't!" Charcoal yelled. He slashed at the purple Pokémon. The Rattata tumbled to the ground.

"Nice Shot!" Timber congratulated.

"Thanks, but we can't keep our guard down."

"Just let those Rattata try to beat us!"Timber sprinted toward the first one. "It's pounding time!" With a whack from his tail, Timber sent the purple normal-type rolling. However, the Treecko was caught by surprise when the second Rattata leapt for his throat.

Charcoal was quick to act, and slashed at the Rattata's face. Following this, the Charmander was able to knock the Pokémon away with his fiery tail. The Rattata slammed into the wall, defeated.

"Good job, Charcoal!" Timber replied, giving a thumbs up. "Now let's find a way out of this cave."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Light shone ahead, showing the was out, Charcoal and Timber sprinted for the exit. However, when they stepped outside, they both felt an odd sensation. It was just like the one they had felt before, only in reverse order.

Timber's face scrunched up. "I wish I knew what caused that."

"As do-"

"What is it, Charcoal?" Timber wondered why the fire-type had stopped in mid-sentence like that.

"I can't believe it!" Charcoal cried with awe.

"Believe what?"

"This place…..We've made it to Cobalt city!"


	3. Cobalt Comets

**First things first: I would like to thank general meow mix for reviewing my story. Also, I think I should point out that I do not own Pokémon. Now that that's out of the way, I present the third chapter of my fanfic.**

Timber stared at Charcoal with a look of pure confusion. "Why is important that we're here in Cobalt City?

"Because, my dream is to become a great explorer. There is a highly respected guild here, one that will teach me all I need. I'm going to become an apprentice, and train at that guild!" Charcoal responded.

"Ah, now it all makes sense. Nice dream too," Timber exclaimed.

"Thanks," Charcoal replied, as the duo made their way to the guild.

Cobalt didn't look like a typical city-a human city at any rate. Buildings filled the area, but they were not like the usual skyscrapers. Where a skyscraper stood tall and narrow, the structures littering Cobalt City were short and wide. Stone bricks made up the buildings, and they looked large enough to house hundreds of Pokémon. The streets were lined with dark grey granite. Various species of Pokémon went about their lives in the city.

"Do you know where the guild is?" Timber inquired.

"Not exactly," Charcoal admitted. "Though, I've heard it's supposed to be located north-northeast from the city's center."

"And where is that, exactly?"

"A large plaza with a fountain right in the middle," the fire-type answered.

"Okay then, let's find this plaza. Then we can look for the Exploration Guild," Timber suggested.

"We're in luck," Charcoal began. "I can see the plaza up ahead."

The two Pokémon soon found themselves standing in a large circular area. Emerald green hedges surrounded the plaza, trimmed with almost perfect precision. Cobblestones, polished to a fine luster, made up the grounds of the gathering place. In the center rested a large stone fountain, a small geyser of water sprouted out from the middle. Pokémon of all shapes and sizes were lingering about the square.

"Nice place," the young Treecko said, nodding. "That's good. Because we'll be seeing more of this area."

"What do you mean "we'll be seeing more of this area"?" the Charmander next to him inquired.

"You said you wanted to be a part of an exploration team, right? After what happened back in that cave, I think we'd make a great team!" the grass type answered, a big grin spread across his face.

Charcoal had to think about this. While it was true Timber had been great help fighting off enemy Pokémon, he wasn't so sure if the Treecko could handle being part of an exploration team. He was a bit on the reckless side and although he meant well…..hmmm…Still, Timber seemed eager to join. Maybe this experience would teach him to look before he leapt.

Okay Timber you are officially my partner!" Charcoal answered at last.

Timber pumped a fist in the air. "Yes! Thanks buddy!"

Charcoal laughed at the Treecko's joy. "It was no problem, Timber. No problem at all." His face then began to turn serious. "But remember, being part of an exploration team can be very dangerous. You must be careful and you can't just jump into things without thinking about the consequences. Alright?"

"Hey, don't you worry about me, Charcoal," the grass Pokémon replied. "I'll be just fine. You'll see, we'll be the greatest exploration team in Pokémon history! Just you wait!"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I don't get it. We've been in and around this area for over an hour, and we have not seen any sign of an exploration guild," Charcoal said, walking and searching all at once.

"We must be looking in the wrong area." The Treecko next to him stated.

"Probably"

"You boys lost or something?"

Charcoal and Timber turned their heads to see an Umbreon wearing a dark blue scarf standing not more than five feet away. Charcoal was the first to speak.

"Yes. My friend and I are having a little trouble finding the Exploration Guild. Could you help us out?"

"Ah yes, the guild," he replied, a distant look in his eyes. "All newcomers to Cobalt City seem to have the same problem. Follow me; I'll be happy to help."

The dark-type Pokémon began to walk toward a thick cluster of trees, with Charcoal and Timber following close behind. "So you both want to be part of an exploration team, eh? I remember when I was your age and I had the very same dream. Ah, those were the days," the Umbreon grinned. "By the way, the name's Dusk. What are yours?"

"I'm Charcoal."

"They call me Timber."

"Nice to meet you both." Dusk ceased walking near a clump of vines hanging from the limbs of the trees. "Careful. It's easy to get a little tangled up in here," he laughed, as he pulled back the cluster of foliage.

With some difficulty, so as not to get tangled up in the numerous thin vines, Charcoal and Timber stepped through the opening. Once they got past those pesky vines, they noticed a long dirt trail stretched out before them. Rows of small trees lined the winding trail.

"Keep up you guys," Dusk called from up front. "We're also there."

Charcoal had a pretty tough time containing his excitement. His dream of becoming a great explorer was one more step closer. He could see it now-they would turn down a corner. In front of them would be a huge stone building. In the top-center, a large sign would read "Cobalt City Exploration Guild," written in Unownscribe, the written language of Pokémon. Pokémon would be all around, some apprentices, a few teachers. The Charmander closed his eyes, waiting for the vision to come to life.

"Here we are."

Charcoal opened his eyes, anxious to see what lay ahead of him.

There was nothing there.

Instead of a massive stone building, a barren land plot stood. Not a Pokémon was around, and the only form of life in the place came from scraggly little weeds scattered in random spots.

Timber was the one to say the sentence that was on Charcoal's mind. "I don't see any guild around here."

"Just be patient," Dusk replied. He walked to where a large, flat stone had been partially buried in the ground. From what Charcoal could tell from the uncovered surface, it had to be the size of a football field and a half. In front of him, Dusk began to tap the stone-tap, tap, tap, tap, pause, tap, pause, tap, pause, tap, tap, tap. "This is our password," the Umbreon said. "It's very important that you remember it. Otherwise, you could find yourself locked out of the guild. Now wait one moment."

For several seconds, the three Pokémon stood there, silently waiting. Charcoal and Timber wondered just what was going on. Suddenly, the stone seemed to…move.

"What's going on here?" a surprised Timber asked.

"You'll see," Dusk replied. Soon, the stone stopped its movement. It was then Timber and Charcoal saw a gaping hole where the giant rock was. A large stone staircase lead deep into a cavern of darkness. "It's just a little farther," the Umbreon replied the yellow rings on his body giving off a faint glow.

"Um Dusk, can I ask you something?" Charcoal inquired.

"Go right ahead Charcoal."

"Why is the guild underground?"

"Long ago, during times of crisis, this place would be used as sort of a hideout for Cobaltians. It was first dug during a war two hundred years ago against rivaling Pokémon territories. " The dark-type explained.

"Well that makes sense." The Charmander said. "Where are we going now?"

"We're heading to the registration room. There, your team will be registered and you will be official guild apprentices."

"Is there any specific thing we have to do before we can resister?" the adolescent Treecko asked. "Like some impossibly hard task to prove our worth?"

The Umbreon laughed. "Oh no, no, no! Unless you have difficulty coming up with a team name!"

_A team name, huh?_ Charcoal thought. _Hmmm… what would be a good name for us?_

The guild was an expansive place. Sedimentary rocks formed the thick walls. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, their droplets of water forming pillars of stalagmites. Tunnels lead in and out of various rooms, taking Pokémon of all kinds with them.

Eventually, the trio game to the registration room. A Buizel sat behind a desk almost buried in papers and documents.

"Hey Zeon, we've got a couple of new guild recruits."

"Dusk! How nice to see you, ol' buddy. So, who are these new apprentices?" the weasel-like Pokémon replied, eying Charcoal and Timber.

"The Charmander's Charcoal and the Treecko, Timber." Dusk explained.

"I see. So who'll be the leader?" Zeon inquired.

"Well, I was thinking we try a partnership, with us both sharing equal work…is that good with you, Timber?" Charcoal responded, then glanced toward Timber's direction.

The Treecko gave a thumbs up, signifying his agreement.

Zeon nodded. "Very well, a partnership it is! Now I just need your team name, and you two will be all set!"

Charcoal's voice got caught in his throat. What _would_ they call themselves? "Er…um…how's about…Team Valor? To show our courageousness?"

Zeon chuckled. "Very nice name choice. Unfortunately, there's already been a Team Valor."

"Really?" Timber asked.

"Yep. In fact, Team Valor was the first team to graduate from the guild."

"Wow…" Charcoal replied, awestruck. "Okay then, what about…Team Comet? It's just something that popped into my head."

"Five star name, Charcoal!" Timber replied. "It's perfect for us!"

"And you're in luck," the Buizel began. "That name is free for you to use."

"You mean…?" Both the Charmander and Treecko began in unison.

"You got it. Welcome to the Cobalt Exploration Guild, Team Comet!"


	4. Briefing

**First, I'd like thank SytheRider for reviewing my story. The 'tingling sensation' was something I came up with when I wondered how Pokémon know they're entering a dungeon-especially 'outside dungeons', such as Tiny Woods. Also, about the guild being underneath a rock: It was revealed in chapter three that the guild was formally a hideout during times of war. The reasoning behind the password to get in will be explained in a later chapter.**

**Also, Pokémon is not mine. I do own several games, as well as at least a hundred anime episodes, but I didn't make them. Thank you and now on to chapter four!**

If Charcoal had ears, they would be in great pain. For at that very moment, an extremely loud, booming voice echoed through the guild, shouting "Up and at 'em apprentices! You don't want to sleep in on your first day, now do you?!" And if being loud wasn't enough, the voice also had a throaty, scratchy tone to it, akin to a Persian sharpening its claws on a chalkboard-slowly.

"Oh man…do I have to listen to_ that_ every morning?" the young Charmander complained, as he slipped on his red vest, and then wrapped his crimson bandanna 'round his neck. He shot a glance at Timber. The grass-type was still snoring away, oblivious to what was going on outside of his own personal dream world.

In an attempt to rouse him, Charcoal gently shook the Treecko's shoulders. "Hey Timber, wake up. Rise 'n shine! Come on, we've gotta go!"

"Snork….snungle…just five more snikle………The half asleep Timber mumbled.

"You can't sleep in! We're supposed to start apprenticing today! You don't want to be late for the briefing, do ya?"

"Apprenticing………..? Apprenticing!" Timber was suddenly filled with renewed energy. The wood gecko Pokémon leaped to his feet, snatched up his vest and sunglasses, and dashed out the door.

Charcoal sprinted over to the Treecko. "Wait up, Timber!" He called out.

Already the day was starting off very interesting…..and only time would tell what lay ahead for the newest guild recruits on the block.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Charcoal and Timber walked into a room with a sign marked 'Beginner's Class', written in Unownscribe. Here was where the two Pokémon would begin their journey toward becoming great explorers.

Team Comet sat in the second and third chairs of the second row. Charcoal took the time to look around the room. It was a plain space. The rocky walls had been painted a basic white color, and the seats were simple flat grey stones.

Meanwhile, Timber looked around at the Pokémon he and Charcoal would have the honor of being classmates with. Some were just filled to the brim with excitement, practically jumping out of their seats. Others looked completely bored as they slumped down into their chairs.

It wasn't long before another Pokémon walked in. He was an older Manectric and had a professional vibe about him. Charcoal guessed he was the professor of the Beginner's Class.

The Manectric took a seat behind a desk in the front of the room. The Electric-type Pokémon grabbed a sheet of paper and looked it over. Every few seconds he would glance up at the class, nod, and use a quill-tip pen to mark something on the white parchment.

Finally, the Manectric set the paper aside, and stood up to address the apprentices. "Good, it looks like everyone is here" The blue and yellow Pokémon cleared his throat before continuing. "Now class, I am Professor Rod, and I will be your instructor for this year. This is how things are going to work around here. I will call Team names one at a time, and lead them into the Mission Chamber. To start out, I will pick your missions, but once you gain enough experience, I'll give you the choice. I will also help you pack for your journeys and give you some advice.

"Now then, let us see who is first on the list….Team Comet."

Timber and Charcoal couldn't believe their good fortunes. They were fist! They would go on the first mission this year! Spirits high, the two Pokémon followed Rod out the door. They came to a large chamber just a hallway later. Nailed on the rocky walls were several wooden bulletin boards. Tacked on to said boards were numerous sheets of paper.

Rod stopped in front of the closet board, on the western side of the room. Up above, the letter 'E' had been etched into the rock.

"This is the Mission Chamber. Here is where we post our assignments." The Electric Pokémon said.

"So this is where we get our missions." Charcoal noted.

Rod nodded. "That's right. But it's not just expeditions we go on. Sometimes we get rescue missions, or even requests to find a lost item.

"Wow, I didn't realize the missions were that diverse," Timber stated.

"Do you see these letters carved above the bulletin boards? " the Manectric asked.

"Yes," Team Comet answered with nods.

"These letters represent the difficulty of the missions. 'E' ranked assignments are the easiest, while 'S' ranked ones are far harder." Rod said. "Now, since this is your first mission, we will start you off with an 'E' ranked assignment. Let us see…..hmmm….ah! This looks like a good one."

"What is it?" Timber inquired.

The older Pokémon began to answer the Treecko's question as he read the assignment.

"'We are fellow explorers, from Team Shard. We were exploring Metaneous Cave, when we came across a peculiar cavern. Due to time constraints, we had to leave the dungeon before we could explore it further. However, we have agreed this would be good expedition material for apprentices at the Cobalt Guild. So young explorers, if you'd like to discover the secret of Metaneous Cave, go for it!'"

"And there you have it. Your assignment is to discover the secret of Metaneous Cave."

"That'll be easy for us!" Timber replied. "Right Charcoal?"

"I wouldn't be sure," the Discharge Pokémon responded.

"What do you mean Professor?" Charcoal asked.

"Because Metaneous Cave is…….a Mystery Dungeon," Rod exclaimed.

"A Mystery Dungeon?" the puzzled Charmander repeated. "What's that?"

"Mystery Dungeons are strange places. You'll know when you've entered one because a strange sensation will wash over your body. It will feel like you're enshrouded by fog. Next, you'll feel a little faint. Afterwards, a wave of heat will pass through your body, starting from your head, and ending at your toes. Then a wave of coldness will pass in the opposite direction. Your skin will tingle, and numbness will temporally overtake your body," the Manectric explained.

"That same thing happened to us yesterday!" Charcoal spoke up.

"Really?" Rod questioned.

"Yes," Timber answered. "We were in this cave, and when we found our way out, it happened again. Only this time, everything was reversed."

"It seems like you've both trekked through a Mystery Dungeon," the older Pokémon said.

"Wow. But what makes them so mysterious?" the Charmander wondered.

"What makes a Mystery Dungeon so mystifying is this...for some unexplained reason, the layout of the dungeon changes constantly. It's a different place each time you enter." The electric-type answered.

"Could the legendary Palkia be the reason behind that?" the Lizard Pokémon asked.

"It's possible, but we're not sure about that."

"I have a question," the Treecko responded. "If the arrangement of a Mystery Dungeon keeps changing, how could we do our mission?"

"The layout may change, but other things about the dungeon won't. This includes the terrain, the kinds of items you might find, species of Pokémon you may encounter, and several other factors. And we've had similar missions in the past, most of which have quite successful," Rod replied.

"Wow, a Mystery Dungeon seems like a good place for an expedition," said Charcoal.

The Manectric nodded. "Yes, but just like a normal dungeon, it does have its dangers. For instance, you will find yourself getting hungrier much faster than you usually would. Also, wild Pokémon are much more hostile than normal. And that's not all. If you should faint while in a dungeon, you could lose half your items or more. Therefore, you must always be careful and well prepared. Better safe than sorry."

"That sounds challenging," replied Timber.

"And some of the higher level dungeons are. However, I don't think Metaneous Cave should pose much of a problem for you two, especially if you are well prepared," the Discharge Pokémon said "Come on, I'll show you what to pack."

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Boy, this thing's heavy!"

"Look on the bright side. It'll help make your arms stronger."

At this moment, Team Comet was in a small, grassy field. It had been a half hour since they left the guild. During that time, Timber had struggled carrying the green canvas bag that housed the team's items and equipment.

"I still don't see why we have to bring so much into a Mystery Dungeon that's easy to get through," the Wood Gecko Pokémon said.

"You know what Professor Rod said. 'Better safe than sorry,'" Charcoal responded with a grin. "And I agree with him. Mystery Dungeons must be unpredictable places. You never know what could happen."

"Well this is the place." The two Pokémon had reached Metaneous Cave. While it seemed like a regular cavern on the outside, Team Comet knew the interior was anything but. Upon entering the dungeon, that odd feeling swept over them, just as it had in the cavern the day before.

"Ready Timber?"

"Ready and willing, Charcoal!"

"Okay, let's do this!" the adolescent fire Pokémon cried out raising a fist in the air. The members of Team Comet both took a deep breath, and took the plunge into their first expedition.

Little did the duo know, however, that a pair of ominous eyes was watching their every move…….


	5. Shades of Forwarning

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Pokemon. Gamefreak does. I'm just writing this for entertainment purposes.**

Emerald green grass swayed lightly in the breeze. The last of the early morning dew rested on the many blades, gleaming in the sunlight like well-polished diamonds. The clear blue sky stretched out forever, its perfection never breaking. A tranquil pond was hit by the sun's rays, turning it into nature's own mirror. The stones scattered about the land were perfectly smooth, the result of millions of years of weathering by wind and rain. The sun shone down on the grassland, its yellow rays forming tiny spotlights as they delicately touched the ground.

All this beauty was lost on the creature, however. The being, as he laid hidden deep with the depths of the black shadows, had only one thing on his mind; to catch the rebel. Bounded by his master's rule, it was all he could do.

The creature remembered well the events that lead him to where he was today. It was a dark night. Black clouds had covered the moon and the stars, removing any and all illumination. Sheets of rain poured out from the thick cumulonimbus. The wind howled a mournful howl and savagely ripped through the trees. Lightning split the sky and the deep rumble of thunder could be heard for miles.

The creature's master and the soldiers had marched into a thick forest. The leader caught sight of a Pokémon resting inside a hollowed-out log that was wedged in-between two boulders. Perfect, he had thought, another member for the army.

A sudden crackle of lightning had jolted the Pokémon awake. He looked straight ahead to see pairs of eyes staring at him. Several malicious, bloodthirsty eyes. But if the Pokémon was frightened, he sure didn't show it. He had gazed at the army just as calmly as he would a forest.

This pleased the leader. A Pokémon that was calm in the face of danger would no doubt be a useful solider. The creature in charge had told the Pokémon that he had great potential as a warrior for his army. However, the Pokémon did something that would be deemed unthinkable in the leader's mind.

He had resisted.

The Pokémon wanted not one part in all this. The leader had tried to convince him, telling the Pokémon that he would gain fame and fortune if he would just join, but the rebel wouldn't hear of it. He had seen through them, and knew their intentions were evil.

Filled with anger at the Pokémon for turning down a chance to be in his army, the leader had decided to make him into a warrior by force. He never got a chance, though. For the rebel Pokémon had decided to have a little fun with the army, employing a little game of 'catch me if you can.' Like a bullet from a gun, this would-be warrior shot out of and away from the forest. The forest that had been his home. The home that had served as a safe haven for years.

Oh, the army and its soldiers had tried to run him down, but it was to no avail. The last sight of the Pokémon they caught was that of him turning a corner of the forest. His fading laughter had echoed through the rain-filled sky…..

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The creature remembered how the leader demanded him to go-go and search for that Pokémon, to the ends of the earth if necessary. And the being had complied, as it was the only thing it could do.

Suddenly, the being perked up. Resting its eyes to the left, it spotted just what it had came for. The creature, having sighted its quarry, could at last make its move. Slowly, ever so slowly, the being rose up from the depths of the dark shadows.

The being was a bizarre sight. It looked like the norm only in shape, everything else entirely divergent from what was expected. The most unusual thing about the creature was this-it resembled… a shadow.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Metaneous Cave was a strange place. Stalagmites and stalactites jutted out form the walls, giving a feeling of disorientation. Minute droplets of water floated in mid-air from stalagmite to stalactite, and vice-versa. The numerous gray-brown rocks were not scattered across the floor. Instead, they took their place among the aqua-created pillars.

Charcoal asked, "See anything out of place?"

"This whole dungeon looks out of place if you ask me," the Treecko beside him stated.

"According to the assignment, Team Shard had discovered a strange cavern on their mission. But the entire dungeon looks strange to me!"

"Boy…I wish those guys would've described exactly what they found," Timber grumbled, still struggling with the heavy bag.

"I think it gives us more of a challenge. I mean, if we don't know what it looks like, we'll have to work that much harder to find it. In turn, we will grow as explorers, because our powers of observation will grow," the Charmander answered.

"I guess that's one way of looking at it."

Charcoal began to get excited. "You know something Timber? I think this is shaping up to be the perfect first expedition! It's somewhat easy, but not enough where it bores you out of your skull. On the other hand, it's not so hard that you long for something simpler, but it still does have that challenging aspect."

"Ah…I dunno...," Timber began with a grin. "I always liked the high-risk jobs, don't you?"

Charcoal hesitated before answering. "Well….I try not to worry about the risks something possesses. If I have to take some risks to succeed at something, I'll do it." The Charmander passed before delivering, in a voice that was barely a whisper, "I just don't like it when Pokémon take unnecessary risk." The Pokémon glanced back at Timber. He hoped his last statement hand not offended the Treecko in anyway. Timber had not even heard him.

With a deep sigh, Charcoal continued walking.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

For the longest time, the two Pokémon walked, their eyes darting in all directions, in an attempt to discover the supposed secret of Metaneous Cave. It seemed futile. For no matter how hard they searched, neither Charcoal, nor Timber could spot anything out of place in an already strange dungeon.

To get technical, it was Charcoal who was doing the brunt of the searching. Timber was too busy carrying the team's bag. On and on the Treecko walked, lugging the green canvas bag every step of the way. The pack contained several items-most of them food. And speaking of which, the further Timber trekked through the dungeon, the hungrier he became. No, not just hungry. Famished, The Mystery Dungeon's curse was quickly affecting the young grass-type, and he grew hungrier with each passing second.

And if becoming quite famished wasn't enough, the Wood Gecko Pokémon found the pack getting very heaving. No longer was the pack filled with apples, berries, and Blast Seeds. Now, it was filled with blocks of steel, lead, and bricks. Timber soon had to resort to dragging the bag across the dungeon.

_Foomph! _

Charcoal jerked his head as he sudden sound. There, his head resting on the smooth cloth of the canvas bag, lay Timber.

Charcoal stared at his sprawled-out partner in disbelief. He had no idea the grass-type Pokémon was that exhausted. The pack must've been heavier the Charmander had realize. Then of course, there was that one Mystery Dungeon curse-the one that made a Pokémon grow hungrier much faster than usual.

"Timber, why didn't you tell me you were feeling tired?" the orange Pokémon asked. "We could've stopped and rested for a while. I wouldn't have minded."

"We can't stop!" Timber cried. "We have to complete our assignment!"

Charcoal's eyes were full of concern as he spoke. "I want to discover the secret of this dungeon just as much as you do, but if we faint we'll be expelled from the dungeon! Then our mission would be a failure. You don't want that, do you?"

"No...I don't….I 'spose you're right buddy," Timber replied, if a little reluctantly. "We should rest. Also, I was starting to get a bit hungry."

"Alright, we can rest behind that large rock over there," Charcoal pointed to a boulder sticking out of the wall just a few feet away. "Here, I'll help you carry the bag."

"Why can't we just stay here and rest?" the Treecko wondered as he picked up one end of the bag.

"It's too open here," the Lizard Pokémon had grasped the other end. "My parents taught me this. When traveling, it's important to find a sheltered area if you need to rest. You need to find protection from weather and wild Pokémon."

Timber gave a quick nod of understanding.

"Here we are. You can put the bag down now."

"Okay Charcoal...Now…" Timber began, rubbing his hands in glee. "When do we eat?"

"Right now," Charcoal said, pulling a bright red apple from the green pack.

"Yep, it's time to dig in!" cried Timber, grabbing a second of the round fruits. The Pokémon took a bite out of the juicy apple, filling his mouth with its flavor.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"That's the stuff!" said Charcoal, having finished the last of his apple. "I didn't realize I was so hungry!"

"Come on! We're not finished exploring Metaneous Cave!" Timber cried as he leapt to his feet.

"Alright Timber, let's go! And don't worry-this time, _I'll_ carry the bag."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

And so, Team Comet continued on their journey. At first, things went off without a hitch. But then…

"Ouch! Who did that?" Timber cried as he felt something hit him in the back of the neck.

"Timber, look behind you…" Charcoal whispered.

"Slowly, the adolescent green Pokémon turned his head. Behind him, a Zubat hung in the air, its four fangs gleaming in the light caused by the flame on Charcoal's tail. Timber smiled a smile that made Charcoal feel a bit uneasy.

"Ah! It seems like things are beginning to get exciting!" Timber cried out.

"Here we go agai-ack!" Charcoal ducked his head just in time to avoid being dive-bombed by the Zubat. The fire-type had momentarily forgotten wild Pokémon were more aggressive in Mystery Dungeons. The bat-like Pokémon made another dive at Charcoal. This time though, the Charmander was ready.

_Slash!_

The Zubat found itself with three claw marks where its eyes would be if it had any. Clearly angry, the poison-type swooped down toward the orange Pokémon, emitting a shrill shriek.

_Skeeeeeeeee!_

_That's it Zubat, just a little closer… _Charcoal mentally encouraged the Pokémon. When the Zubat was just three feet above him, Charcoal made his move. He leapt into the air and did a single front flip. The Zubat below him felt a searing pain rush through as the Charmander's burning tail collided with its back.

The poison-type wasn't done yet, though. It made another dive for Charcoal. The orange Pokémon tried to jump up out of the way, but had no such success. The Lizard Pokémon's left arm was pieced by four sharp fangs. Charcoal struggled to pull the Zubat off, for he knew their bite could be poisonous.

"Sheesh! Once these things latch on to something, they stay on!" Charcoal grumbled. "Maybe if I could just breathe fire, I might be able to…." It was then something hit the adolescent Pokémon. "Breath fire…that's it!"

Unwillingly pulling the Zubat along, Charcoal ran over to the canvas bag. The fire-type reached inside the pack and began to dig around. "Now where did I see that…ah ha! There they are!" From the bag, Charcoal produced a small orange, drawstring pouch. From there, he pulled out a small object.

It was a tiny seed, dyed a dark orange. A strong, smoky smell escaped from it, like the kind from a smoldering campfire. A Blast Seed, that's what it was.

Charcoal recalled the words his professor had said. '_Blast Seeds are quite the interesting item. Throw on_e, _and it will detonate like a grenade. Eat a Blast Seed, and you will find yourself breathing fire.'_

Breathing fire…that was just what Charcoal needed. Ignoring the throbbing pain in his arm, the Charmander stuck the seed in his mouth. With a single bite, his teeth broke the orange coating surrounding the seed.

It was then Charcoal was met with a literal explosion of flavor. It was a spicy hot taste, like fresh chili peppers, and getting hotter by the second. Charcoal felt the heat pushing his mouth, just begging to be let out. And how could he refuse?

Bright red-yellow flames escaped from the Charmander's maw. They surrounded the Zubat, causing it to loosen its grip on Charcoal's arm. The bat-like Pokémon slumped to the ground, several parts of its body a dark black. It lay there unmoving, too weak to get up.

If there was only one word to describe how Charcoal felt about his victory, this would be it; wow! He had actually breathed fire! Sure, it wasn't his own fire, but it just felt so great-the sensation of the heat building up in his mouth, the feel of flames escaping. It was something Charcoal wanted to experience again and again.

"Wow, if that felt great, I wonder how it would feel if I performed a Flamethrower or a Fire Spin on my own merits,"

Suddenly, a wave of pain shot through his arm. Charcoal cringed. "Oh right, I have more important things to think about." The orange Pokémon gingerly examined his arm, checking for signs of a poisonous bite. He checked for discoloration around the puncture marks. Nope, the skin was still as orange as it had always been. Nor was there any tingling. Charcoal did feel a bit lightheaded, but that was most likely a result of blood loss.

The fire-type once again reached into the bag. This time, he pulled out a round, bright blue Oran Berry. As he took a bite, he immediately felt its healing power working. The pain had already begun to subside, and the puncture marks had started to close up.

Feeling well enough to leave, Charcoal called out to his partner.

"Hey Timber, let's go!"

Timber was gone.

Charcoal looked all around the cavern, trying to find a sign of the Wood Gecko Pokémon. Nothing. Charcoal threw his arms up in annoyance. "Ugh! I don't believe this! How could Timber just-"

The Pokémon's ranting was interrupted however, when he felt something slam into the back of his head. The fire type slammed into the ground. With a grunt, Charcoal lifted his head up, and saw not one, but two Zubat fluttering in the air above him. The duo of bat-like Pokémon then opened their mouths, and began to suck in their breaths.

Charcoal suddenly felt all his energy slowly leaving his body, supped off his body in the form of an eerie green glow.

"Leech Life….." the Charmander grunted in a weakening voice. He glanced toward the canvas bag. Maybe another Blast Seed would help. The Pokémon tried to crawl over to the pack, finding it hard to move his body. Finally, it proved to be too much for the Pokémon, and he collapsed, his energy spent.

"Hey, you can't do that to Charcoal," came a voice from above. With great force, Charcoal managed to lift his head. Through clouded eyes, he saw a light green blur on the ceiling.

"Timber……? The Charmander asked in a voice that was barely a whisper.

The Treecko flashed a grin at his partner. "Don't you worry buddy, I'll handle these guys!" Once he let go of the ceiling, Timber dived toward the Zubat. When he was a few feet from one of them, he flipped over and slammed his tail into its back. While still suspended in mid-air, Timber shot forward with a quick attack. The poison Pokémon he had hit was knocked clear out of the air and into a wall.

"However, the other Zubat was not so easily defeated. With a screech, it headed toward Timber.

_Skeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!_

_Slam!_

Before he knew it, Timber had been knocked flat on his back, a dark bruise on his chest where the Zubat's Wing Attack had connected. Not one to give up easily, however, the grass-type scampered over to the open pack near Charcoal. He reached in the bag, and pulled out two things-a Blast Seed and an Oran Berry. He rolled the latter right in front of Charcoal's nose and held back the former for himself.

"Alright pal, let's see how you like this one!" Timber shouted, placing himself in front of the Zubat. He glanced at the orange seed in his hand. Hesitantly, he took a bite. His teeth broke the seed's coating and then…..

Timber's mouth felt like a grenade had gone off inside it. Red hot flames began to travel up his throat, giving the Treecko a nasty feeling. He held his breath for as long as he could, his mouth was getting charred, boiled, and steamed.

He couldn't take it anymore. It was proving too much for him. He had to let it out. Like lava from a volcano, red-orange flames erupted from Timber's mouth. The Zubat, definitely not expecting a Treecko to perform an attack like that, was completely caught off guard. The hot fire wrapped around the poison Pokémon, sending waves of sweltering pain coursing through its body.

When the blaze had died down, the Zubat was lying on its back, dark burnt marks all over its body. There was no way the bat-like Pokémon could battle anymore.

"Wow Timber, that was some good thinking!" Charcoal replied. The Pokémon looked healthy and strong, thanks to the Oran Berry Timber had give him. "And thanks for helping me out back there."

"It…was…..no problem….Charcoal," Timber responded as he violently coughed up thick black smoke.

"Are you alright? Those coughs sound pretty bad."

"I'm-I'm fine," The Treecko replied. "I just shouldn't have held my breath when I ate that Blast Seed. Ugh! Breathing fire was not a pleasant feeling! Of course, I suppose you enjoyed it, Charcoal."

The Charmander grinned. "Let's just say when we get back, I'm going to find someone to help me learn a few fire attacks. But first things first, we have an expedition to finish!"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Team Comet ran into no more trouble in Metaneous Cave. Not a single Zubat, Sandshrew, or Nincada noticed the two Pokémon as they hiked through the Mystery Dungeon. Charcoal and Timber had been walking for twenty minutes when something caught the latter's eye.

"Timber, does that cavern look unusual to you?" the fire-type had noticed a small grotto to his left. Stalagmites hung on the ceiling, and droplets of water from the conical pillar formed stalactites below.

Timber shook his head. "Nope, it looks just like any old cavern to me."

"Exactly! All this time we've been looking for an unusual cavern, right? Well, look at this dungeon. The entire place looks like it was flipped on its side. But not that cave over there. And in this dungeon, a room like that is a bit strange. We've done it Timber!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" the Wood Gecko Pokémon next to him asked excitedly. "Let's check it out!"

The cavern was quite a treasure trove. Fine, glistening crystals stuck out of the walls. Lustrous blue orbs had been neatly stowed away in a dark corner. Scarves in all colors had been folded in-between stalactites. Looped around said stalactites were numerous waist bands. Scattered about the cavern were many more objects, all nicely tucked in little groups.

"Look at this place!" Timber yelled elatedly. "It's a treasure trove!"

Charcoal laughed. "You can say that again!" he picked up a round orb. "This thing must be worth a couple thousand Poké alone!"

"And I bet those bands would look cool on us," Timber stated, placing a few items in the canvas bag.

"What are you doing?" Charcoal inquired.

"Taking proof," the grass-type answered, as he pulled a chunk of crystal from the wall.

"Hmmmm….good thinking, Timber! But let's not take too much. Just a few items will do. After all, we don't want the back to be heavier than it already is!"

Having collected a few items each, Team Comet began to search for a way out, satisfied at how well their first expedition had gone.


	6. Tracked Quarry

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. If I did, there would be an entire TV series based on the PMD games, instead of just a single special for each installment. **

The light from the outside world welcomed the two weary Pokémon. Having spent the last four and a half hours in Metaneous Cave, Charcoal and Timber were glad to be outside.

Stretching his back, Charcoal emitted a deep yawn. "Boy, that was sure tiring. The first thing I'm, going to do when we get back to the guild is take a long nap."

"Wait a sec! I thought you were going to find a Pokémon to teach you how to use fire attacks," Timber said with a smirk.

"True, I did. But I won't learn anything if I'm asleep," Charcoal pointed out.

"Well, we could just rest here for a little while. That clump of tall grass over there should keep us hidden form wild Pokémon," suggested Timber.

Charcoal patted the Wood Gecko Pokémon on the shoulder. "Nice observation, buddy! You're a quick learner."

Timber chuckled. "Thanks Charcoal. Now come on! We both need some rest! A little snack would do us some good, too."

…………………………………………………………………………………….

The creature smiled to himself. After waiting in the shadows for several hours, all his patience would be worth it. Silently, he crept toward his quarry.

……………………………………………………………………………………

Once he had determined there was no immediate danger, Charcoal pulled back a large clump of grass. He and Timber stepped inside the sheltering wall of vegetation. The young Charmander began to unpack a couple of apples. All at once, the sound of grass rustling caught the Lizard Pokémon's attention.

"Timber," the Charmander whispered. "Stay down while I see what's going on. And try not to make too much noise, alright?"

Timber gave a quick nod and a thumbs up, signifying he understood.

Charcoal crouched down. Slowly he began to crawl toward the rustling blades. His eyes darted in all directions. The rustling sound got louder. The rapidly shaking movements of the grass got nearer and nearer. Closer, Charcoal crawled. Closer…closer…and then…silence…

"Yaaahhhh!"

The brief silence was broken by a loud yell. Charcoal and Timber gasped, not a result of the scream, but from the sight of what caused it. There, in front of the two Pokémon, was a Golduck. But something was different about this Golduck. Instead of sporting the usual blue skin, he was as black as a shadow. Every single part of his body was a shade of ebony. Only the Golduck's eyes were the normal bright red color of his species.

The Golduck locked his eyes on Timber. He spoke in a calm, firm voice. "So, we meet again, Treecko."

"Meet _again_?" Timber asked, puzzled. "I've never met you once!"

"Oh but you have," the Golduck calmly stated. Remember that night in Overgrown Forest?"

That was when realization hit Timber. "Oh yeah! I remember you. Funny though, I always thought your shadow-like appearance was due to the lack of light that day. Hahahahahah! I thought I was just seeing your general shape! Hahaha!"

The Golduck grinned evilly. "I can assure you that I and all the other Pokémon in the S.O.D Army are as black as the night sky."

"The S.O.D Army? What's that?" Charcoal asked.

"Silence!" the duck-like Pokémon snapped.

"Hey! Nobody yells like that at my pal Charcoal!" Timber yelled defensively. "Who are you anyway?"

The black Pokémon chuckled wickedly. "Why I am Cyphon. I am the Lieutenant for the S.O.D Army."

"What _is_ the S.O.D Army? You haven't told us that yet," Charcoal inquired.

"Silence!" Cyphon once again lashed out at Charcoal. And this time, the Golduck tried to slice the Charmander with his claws, nearly putting a gash in the Lizard Pokémon's chest.

Now Timber was angry. "Who do you think you are attacking Charcoal like that?!"

"Hold on Timber. Don't try anything you'll regret," the Charmander tried to reason with his partner, although he knew it was a futile attempt.

"I'll show you what happens when you mess with Team Comet!" The Treecko placed himself in front of the Golduck, and got into a fighting stance. The next time that water Pokémon tried something, Timber would be ready.

Cyphon simply grinned. "You show no fear and you are eager to battle me. The Commander was right. You are S.O.D material."

"You still haven't told me why you attacked my buddy Charcoal," Timber said through gritted teeth.

"It's quite simple, really. He is not worth my time. You however, are. I have a request from the Commander." Cyphon exclaimed.

"What kind of request?" Timber asked, his green arms crossed over his chest.

"I have been asked to take you to the Commander. Put simply, you're coming with me. Once you prove yourself, of course." The duck-like Pokémon whispered his last statement.

"And what if I don't want to?" inquired Timber.

A sinister smirk showed itself on Chyphon's face. "I'm afraid you may have no choice in the matter, Treecko," The claws on his webbed hand outstretched, the black Pokémon lashed out at the adolescent grass-type. A Treecko's greatest asset is its speed however, and so as a result, Timber had little trouble dodging the attack.

"Impressive, very impressive," Timber said with a smirk on his face. "But not as impressive as this!" The Wood Gecko Pokémon launched himself into a Quick Attack. Like a missile flying to its target, he dashed toward Chypon, a complacent look on his face. Just a little closer and the black Golduck would be knocked clear off his feet.

_Slash! _

Someone was knocked clear off his feet. But it wasn't Cyphon, as Timber was the one laying on his back, a bright red gash across his chest. A sinister chuckle escaped Cyphon's bill. "Did you really think that attack could hit me?" the duck-like Pokémon asked.

Suddenly, he felt the sensation of heat on the back of his head. Being a water-type, he felt little pain, if any, but the attack sure did get his attention. The ebony-colored Pokémon turned around to see flames from a Blast Seed erupting from Charcoal's mouth. "You do realize I'm a water-type, don't you, Charmander?" Cyphon asked, an unamused look on his face.

"Yes I do," Charcoal answered. "But that doesn't mean fire can't harm you!" The young Charmander headed toward the black Golduck, claws outstretched and ready to slash. Without warning however, Cyphon launched a Water Gun at Charcoal. The horizontal geyser hit the flame on the fire-type's tail, causing it to burn unsteadily. And that was just the beginning. Cyphon dashed in the direction of the Charmander, his forehead emitting a white glow. With a well place Zen Headbutt, the Golduck slammed into Charcoal's chest, knocking him flat on his back. Charcoal's head hit the ground- hard.

"Hey Cyphon!" Timber shouted from behind the Golduck. Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" the Treecko raced toward the water-type Pokémon. "Like your own shadow!" Timber leaped into the air. As he sailed down toward Cyphon, he began to twist his body, his tail primed to pound the black Golduck.

"Ha! You think a simple Pound attack can defeat me?" Cyphon asked as a dark purple glow surrounded his right hand. "You think wrong!" Like a bolt of lightning, the Golduck moved his webbed claws it a wide arc, performing a perfect Shadow Claw. The light green flesh on the side of Timber's body was ripped off as the attack connected. The Treecko uttered only one cry of anguished pain before he landed at Cyphon's feet.

A smirk a satisfaction showed itself on Cyphon's bill, as the black Golduck looked at two injured Pokémon. Several feet away from him, lay an unconscious Charcoal. Bluish-black bruises were spread out all around his body, and a massive lump had formed on the back of his head. The Charmander's once blazing tail flame had been reduced to a small ember, its tip sending out a trail of wispy, white steam.

And then there was Timber. Two long and deep gashes stretched across his chest and side, both wounds a bright red. Many more cuts and bruises were scattered about his body, the results of falls he had taken from being knocked around. The Treecko's thick tail, normally held high and proud, lay limply behind him. Timber stared hard at Cyphon, the resentment in his yellow eyes unsuccessfully hiding the young Pokémon felt.

_You didn't land even one attack on my person, Treecko, not a single one. _Cyphon thought. _You are not yet ready to be a warrior of the SOD Army, as you did not pass the test. You still have a long way to go. But soon, very soon…_ The water-type never finished his thought, opting instead to turn and head back where he came from.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A searing pain shot through Charcoal's body, as he slowly regained consciousness. With some effort, he managed to pull himself up into a standing position. He saw Timber nearby and, carrying a few Oran Berries he had just pulled from the bag, walked over to his partner.

Timber was on his hands and knees. His unblinking golden eyes conveyed a sense of anger and disgrace, as he stared at the horizon, waiting for Cyphon to come back. He wanted to settle the score. It was Charcoal who broke him from his trance. The fire-type stood in front of the Treecko, his leathery arm outstretched. Two bright blue Oran Berries were what he held in his claws. "Take these," he spoke. "They'll help your wounds heal faster."

Silently, Timber took the berries, his trance-like stare gone.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………  
A barren plot of land had taken its place on the northern part of Cobalt City. A flat stone approximately the size of a football field was slowly moving in a southward direction, leaving a deep fissure in its wake.

Dusk emerged from the opening. The Umbreon, after letting his eyes adjust to the mid-morning light, preceded to begin his daily stroll. He made his way along the trail, taking in the sights as he walked. Including one in particular…

There, slowly limping toward the guild, was Team Comet. Both Charcoal and Timber were trying to support each other, as they walked lamely up the trail. Dusk, with a concerned look on his face, quickly broke into a run. He stopped right in front of the young apprentices. "What happened to you both?"

"It's…it's a long and painful story…," Charcoal said softly.

"I understand. When you're ready, I'll be around," the dark-type Pokémon replied. He paused for a brief moment. "You really should have those wounds looked at. The infirmary is on the top floor, fifth room from the left."

"We'll do that," Charcoal said with a nod. He managed to force a crooked smile as he continued speaking. "Our first expedition was a success."

"I had a feeling it would be," Dusk responded, wearing a similar grin on his face.

This whole time, Timber had not said a word, nor had he made any eye-contact with Charcoal and Dusk. That same unblinking, incensed stare had returned and only one thing ran through the Treecko's rage-stricken mind;

Next time, next time he would settle the score.


	7. Mysteries Overshadowed

**Well, it finally happened. This past Sunday, March 22, Pokémon Platinum was released! That's right, the newest saga in the Pokémon series is out at last! As for me, I've already got my future team planned out and training in my Diamond Version and I will eventually transfer them to Platinum. Now…when's that new Mystery Dungeon game coming out, huh?**

**Alright then, I would like to think BlahShinobiGuy for reviewing my story. That being said, I am very proud at how this chapter turned out and I hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. I'm just borrowing the little Pokémon for a while.**

**And…here it is, Chapter Seven!**

Neither Charcoal, nor Timber were aware of how long they had slept. Both Charmander and Treecko opened their eyes, thinking they had closed them only a brief moment ago. Neither Pokémon realized that they had slept 'till mid-afternoon.

The infirmary where the two were was a vast and busy place. Several hundred wooden beds were neatly scattered in the many rooms, their cotton filled mattresses well-kept and comfortable. Wooden shelves had been nailed into the white painted-coated walls rock walls. Placed on said shelves had been several vials of medicines-all made from substances ranging from berries to herbs. Doctors and nurses made their way through the sanatorium, some calmly, others in a hurried haste. Charcoal and Timber were in the ninth room, lying in the seventh and eighth beds, respectfully, out of nine.

Charcoal gazed up at the ceiling, recalling the day's events, especially the team's battle with Cyphon the Golduck. "_Something…something was not right with Timber after that fight. It seemed like he was in some kind of trance. I guess that beating he received must've really hurt his pride. And when I first met him, I could tell he had a lot of that! But…something else has been bugging me. It seemed like…"_

"Timber?"

"Yeah Charcoal?"

"About that Golduck, Cyphon. You and he acted as if you knew each other from somewhere."

Timber grinned, his yellow eyes never leaving the ceiling, as he launched into his tale. "You see Charcoal, it's like this. Before I met you, I lived in a place called Overgrown Forest. It was the _perfect_ place for a tree-dweller like me. And I'm not stressing the word 'perfect' just for the fun of it, ya know? It was great! Trees everywhere! I mean, you couldn't take even one step without nearly hitting a branch."

"Sounds kind of crowded to me," Charcoal remarked.

"Maybe to a land-dwelling Pokémon like yourself. But to a Treecko, it was home!" Timber continued. "And some of those trees were huge, with big, thick limbs. My favorite was a huge oak in the eastern part of the forest. The limbs were twisted in strange ways, for reasons I don't know. Every week, me and my friends would hang out there." The Treecko began to chuckle. "You wouldn't believe all the crazy things we would do."

The grass-type let out a long sigh before continuing, "It all happened one stormy night. I had been sleeping, when a clap of thunder woke me up. Right in front of me was a whole group of Pokémon. Now, they were very hard to see because, well, the night was dark, and so were they. I did manage to make out the silhouette of a Golduck."

"Cyphon."

Timber nodded. "That's right. As well as a few other Pokémon. I also saw that this one Pokémon was much larger than the others."

"Do you have any idea what kind of Pokémon it was?" asked Charcoal.

"Not a clue," the Wood Gecko Pokémon replied, shaking his head. "Except...I did see something that looked like horns on the top of his head."

Charcoal thought for a moment. "Hmm, we'll have to look into that later," he replied. "Then what happened?"

"The large Pokémon asked me to a solider for their army or something," Timber answered, waving his hand in a couple of circles.

"And you didn't want to join," the Charmander correctly guessed. "What made you decline?"

Timber scrunched his face. Something…something was just not right about them. It was almost like I could _tell _that they were up to no good. Boy, when I said 'no', the leader got _reeeaally_ mad. Ya wanna hear what I did next?" the Treecko asked, a mischievous grin working its way across his face.

"Do I?" the Lizard Pokémon asked uneasily.

Timber chuckled. "I'll tell ya anyway. I decided to play a little game with them"

"You mean like hide-and-seek?"

"Something like that. So then, I raced out of the forest as fast as my legs could carry me, laughing all the way! Hahaha! And that morning I bumped into you."

Charcoal had just one more thing to ask his partner. "Say Timber…what did you think about our expedition?"

"Can I say that Team Comet is going to go down in history as one of the greatest exploration teams that ever lived? Our first expedition and we succeeded! Oh, and don't worry about that old Cyphon. Next time, we'll beat 'im! You just wait and see, Charcoal!"

Charcoal sighed. At least now Timber was acting like his old self. That was a good sign.

The sound of footsteps stopped their conversation then and there. A Mightyena had walked into the room, wearing a white lab coat. See carefully looked over the two Pokémon lying in the beds, "It seems you both have healed quite nicely," she stated. "That's good. You are free to go."

Thank you nurse," Charcoal replied with a polite nod, before sliding of his bed.

"But before you go, Professor Rod wanted me to give you these." Inside the Mightyena's paw were two gold coins. A symbol resembling that of the letter 'P' had been etched into the round currency. "Two-hundred Poke for a job well done."

"Wow...thanks!" Timber said, as the coins were dropped into his hand.

"Think nothing of it," the Mightyena replied. "Want some advice though?" she asked.

"Sure," Timber answered, nodding his head.

The wolf-like Pokémon smiled sweetly. "I would recommend you to open an account at the Cobalt City bank. That money adds up faster than you would think."

"Thanks for the suggestion," said Charcoal. "We'll get right on it."

"But first," the Mightyena began, "You should have dinner."

Timber and Charcoal stared at each other with a look that can be described as one of disbelief mixed with a dose of shock. "Dinner?!"

……………………………………………………………………………………………

The cafeteria was an expansive area. Several well-constructed tables had been laid out in neat little rows, their wooden tops having been sanded and polished to a smooth and glossy luster. At least five lines were trailing through the room, the Pokémon inside waiting both tolerantly and anxiously. Several baskets were behind designated tables, and each bin was filled to the brim with an array of delectable provisions.

Team Comet was fortunate to be towards the front of a line. They quickly got their food and took their place at one of the tables. Their wood trays were full of apple slices, berries, chestnut stuffing, a glass of berry juice, and even an intelligence-granting gummi.

"You must be Team Comet."

Timber and Charcoal lifted their heads to see a Pikachu seating himself on the bench across from theirs. He seemed just like any other member of his species, except for one small detail. Where most Pikachu would have solid black ear tips, his were broken by a thin band of yellow fur around the middle.

"That would be us!" Timber shouted with pride, his chest out.

"I'm Static," the Electric Mouse Pokémon replied. "The leader of Team Stormrider. We're fellow classmates." He extended a paw out to Team Comet.

"I'm Charcoal, and this is my partner Timber," the Lizard Pokémon replied, returning Static's handshake.

"Glad to meetcha," Timber said, giving the Pikachu his thumbs up of approval.

"Same here," Static said.

"I've never seen a Pikachu like you," Charcoal observed. "With the black of the ear tips broken like that, I mean."

"Pretty cool, huh?" the Electric Mouse Pokémon replied. "Makes me feel special."

"Have you had those markings since you were born, or since you evolved?" Timber questioned, taking a bite out of a Rawst Berry.

"They just appeared suddenly when I became a Pikachu," Static replied.

"And they're the reason why he won't evolve," explained an unknown voice. An adolescent Pacharisu had just entered the conversation.

"Hey Hazel, come over here!" Static called to the Electric Squirrel Pokémon, motioning for her to come and sit with them, waving his hands rapidly. "Guys, this is my teammate, Hazel. Hazel, this is Charcoal and Timber of Team Comet," after the Pikachu introduced everyone, he leaned toward the Charmander and the Treecko and whispered, "She's right, you know. I wouldn't evolve for anything. These markings are here to stay!"

"So you're Team Comet," Hazel commented, as she sat down next to Static. "I heard your first expedition went well. Good job. Except for the part where you came back to the guild in bad shape."

"Oh yeah…that…" Charcoal said quietly, looking down at his half-eaten gummi. "We had some…difficulties…So, how did your mission go?" the young Charmander inquired.

"It went well," Static answered, taking a sip of juice. "Hazel and I were supposed to find an item someone lost."

"We had a slight run in with an annoying group of Pidgey," the Pacharisu next to him stated. "But it was nothing a few well-aimed electric attacks couldn't handle."

Timber stared at his remaining food. "Hmmm…."

"What's wrong, Timber?" Charcoal asked, noticing the look on his partner's face.

"I've always though gummis were hard to find. But everyone in the cafeteria has one! Not that that bothers me, mind you. They _are_ delicious! You can't deny that!"

"Oh that," Static began explaining. "In truth, gummis aren't really all that difficult to find. However, they tend to be in the tougher-ranked Mystery Dungeons, so that's why you don't see them very often. The guild only offers them during certain occasions."

"Wait a minute…" Hazel piped up. "From what I hear, there is another use for the gummis."

Static's left eyebrow rose. "Really? And what would that be?"

The squirrel-like Pokémon laughed. "Don't ask me! I have no clue about that. You'll have to ask some other Pokémon."

This conversation went on for the better part of an hour. Finally, Static jumped up out of his bench, his black eyes as wide as saucers, "Shoot! I was enjoying our talk so much, I completely forgot that we had to run an errand after dinner! Hazel, why didn't you remind me?" the Pikachu asked his teammate.

"Why didn't _you _remind _me_?" the squirrel-like Pokémon retorted.

Static's eyes darted of in all directions, like a ping pong ball during an intense game. "Um...sorry to cut our conversation short guys, but…"

"Nah, don't worry about it, Static," Charcoal replied. "Timber and I enjoyed talking with you nonetheless, and if you have anything important to do, by all means, do it!"

"Wow, thanks! I…I guess this is bye for now," the young Pikachu stated.

Hazel nodded, a smile spreading across her white-furred face. "I suppose it is."

"We'll be seeing ya!" Timber shouted, giving a thumbs up, while Charcoal gave Team Stormrider a friendly wave good-bye, as the Electric Mouse, and the Electric Squirrel Pokémon dashed off hurriedly, yellow and white blurs in a rainbow collage.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

A tall stone staircase extended from the top floor, the pathway to the world's outer surface. Burning fire gave off a string of subdued illumination-fire from the touches, and from the flame on Charcoal's tail. He and Timber trudged up the granite steps, their legs growing weary. Finally, they reached the stairs' zenith.

"Timber, you go on to the bank without me," Charcoal told him, fidgeting nervously with his claws. "There's something I have to do."

"Ah! Are you finally going to find someone to teach you those fire attacks you've been wanting to learn since we were in Metaneous Cave?" Timber asked, a wide grin swelling across his face.

"Not exactly," the fire-type answered, shaking his head

Timber's mouth twisted at the corners, as if he wasn't sure whether he should smile of frown. "Suit yourself," he said simply. The Treecko then turned his attention to a quartet of Steelix standing side by side. "Okay guys, I'm ready!"

The four steel-type Pokémon gave the grass-type a quick nod and went to work. They were the guild's sentries. It their job to let Pokémon in, provided they use the correct password, and out of the guild. The foursome each clamped their great jaws over a square stone that was jutting out of the wall. Slithering backwards, the Steelix pulled the flat, rectangular slab partially out of its carved in slot. Light filtered in the formally dark room, growing in luminosity with every haul. The gateway to the outside world had been opened.

Timber gave a friendly wave to his Charmander friend, before darting up the steps, and into the welcoming light.

When he saw the Wood Gecko Pokémon leave his field of vision, Charcoal turned and began walking. Ever since dinner, something had been bothering the young Pokémon. It was a nauseous feeling, like the kind that comes with stage fright. The sensation ran down from his throat, all the way the dark pit of his stomach. The Lizard Pokémon wasn't quite sure what was exactly causing it, but he did have a pretty good idea. He was hoping that taking a stroll through the guild would make him feel better.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

As he walked, Charcoal took in the sights of the guild. Along with the infirmary, and the registration room, several other areas made up the top floor. Three large rooms, each with a wood plaque that had the words 'Advanced Class' in perfect Unownscribe carved into them were lined up side by side. Charcoal stopped to gaze at the trio of rooms.

_Wow…to think, one day, that'll be me and Timber in one of those rooms. I can't wait for that! _He thought with a chuckle.

The young Charmander soon resumed his stroll. His legs carried him to an area with multiple crew rooms, not unlike the one his Team was staying at. Wooden beds had been placed inside, their soft mattresses full of the wool of Mareep. Nailed into the rock walls were wooden shelves and knobs, made for the purpose of placing or hanging important articles on.

Charcoal's self initiated tour soon carried him near a place he wasn't allowed to enter, except under special circumstances. The Guild Master's Chamber. The orange fire-type marveled at the giant double doors, made of thick bolted steel, instead of the usual wood and rock, and polished to fine sheen. He wondered just what was behind this facade, hidden away from the rest of the world. He didn't even know what kind of Pokémon the Guild Master was! All he could tell was this; He or she must be very important, possibly near legendary status!

……………………………………………………………………………………………

The middle floor was next on Charcoal's mind list. He went past the cafeteria, and towards the three 'Intermediate Class' rooms. There wasn't much difference between them and the Beginner or Advance Class rooms. Still, the thought of one day being in one of those rooms, excited Charcoal.

"Hmm?" Charcoal stole a quick glance toward a door near the crew rooms. Upon closer inspection, could the Charmander see 'Civilization Center' etched in its stilted tablet.

"'_Civilization Center?' "_he thought. "_I wonder what this is for."_

Charcoal sauntered up to the door, and pressed the side of his orange head to the smooth wood. He could hear shouts of wild excitement coming from inside, mixed in with a gentle, 'Calm down." The Charmander shrugged nonchalantly.

"_I can't tell what this place is. Now, I don't want to disturb anyone inside, so I'll just have to ask someone later."_

Next, Charcoal ambled over to what was unmistakably the largest room in the entire Cobalt City Exploration Guild-the Meeting Hall. Four majestic pillars, one for each corner, had been carved out of the most optimum of marble, their white radiances catching each other's. Rows upon rows of well assembled wooden benches formed a faultless semi-circle, the seats in a variety of sizes, built that way to accommodate the vast sizes of Pokémon themselves. A round stage faced the benches, its closed curtains having been made from the silk of Beautifly. Truly the Meeting Hall was a sight to behold.

"_Wow! However built this sure knew what they were doing! _Charcoal thought in respectful awe. _If it looks cool empty, how cool will it look when the entire guild's Pokémon are here?"_

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Last, but certainly not least, was the guild's bottom level. It was here that the Beginner's Class rooms, the Mission Chamber, and several other crew rooms, one of which belonged to Team Comet, were. But it was none of these rooms that caught Charcoal's sapphire eyes. No, what averted his gaze was a simple door with a plaque featuring an etching in classic Unownscribe. It featured the word, 'Dojo' on that tablet.

"_Hmmm…I still want to learn those fire attacks…Maybe…maybe a quick lesson wouldn't hurt…"_

Hesitantly, Charcoal extended a clawed hand, his fingers trembling ever so slightly, the kind where a person has to get really up close to see, in both anticipation, and apprehensiveness. The tips of the Charmander's claws had just connected with the wooden surface of the door when…

"Ah, there you are Charcoal. I see that you're feeling better."

In a rush of adrenaline, Charcoal nearly leaped out of his skin in sheer alarm. Like lightning, he twisted his body around, so that he was facing the owner of the voice that surprised him so.

"Dusk!? What are you doing here?" It was at that moment that something crossed the bewildered Charmander's mind. "Wait a minute…what _are_ you doing here? What _have_ you been doing here?"

The Moonlight Pokémon in front of him laughed. "I was wondering when you would ask that question. I run my own little exploration team, Team Eon-consisting of my two sisters and me. I graduated from this guild a few years ago, but I find myself coming back here all the time. It's a good place to get missions, you know?"

"Oh, so that's why. Thanks for explaining," Charcoal said. "But can ask you something else?"

"Sure."

"Why do…" Charcoal struggled not to word his statement offensively. "Why do Eevee and their evolutions use the word 'Eon' in naming things?"

"Hmm….never thought about that," the Umbreon answered, tapping his head with a paw. "It's always been a tradition among Eon Pokémon, I guess."

"Interesting. Hey Dusk, there's something I'd like to ask you. But first, I'd better give you a little background."

With that, Charcoal launched into his story-how they succeeded in their mission, how they were ambushed by Cyphon, how the Golduck defeated them. The dark-type Pokémon sitting in front of the Charmander listened inventively, sometimes giving an understanding nod.

"What I want to know," Charcoal asked, having finished his tale, "Is this; what is the S.O.D Army?"

'S.O.D…' Just hearing that name caused Dusk's muscles to tense up tightly, and a shiver to run down his spine, like the autumn breeze through the forest. "'S.O.D' is short for 'Shadows of Darkness.' It is a group of sinister Pokémon, bent on wreaking havoc and mayhem. They make their home in the shadows of Shieldstone Ridge, just north of the Slatehelm Mountains."

"Whoa…" Charcoal whispered softly, a worried look on his face.

"They have been doing this for at least two years. Ever wonder why you need a password to get in the guild? It's because of them. We don't want any suspicious characters coming here. But believe it or not, the soldiers of the S.O.D Army used to be good, law-abiding Pokémon, just like you and me."

"Really?!" Charcoal asked incredulity. "Nah! That can't be! Why would _any _Pokémon want to be an evil villain?"

"I can't answer that Charcoal," the black-furred Pokémon admitted. "However, only a few warriors actually chose to become so. The rest…became so by force."

"Force? How?"

"Their very free will was taken away."

Dead silence moved over the room, like someone had gone and surrounded it with soundproof glass. "Their-their free will?" Charcoal repeated, breaking the stillness of noise. "You mean their very spirit? That was taken away from them?"

The slow and melancholy nodding of the Umbreon's head was all Charcoal needed to have his question answered. "As near as I can tell, the members of the Shadows of Darkness Army go around, searching for Pokémon to recruit. Once they find one, that Pokémon has to pass a little initiation test to see if they are worthy of being part of the SOD Army."

"What kind of test?"

"I'm afraid I don't have an answer to that. From what I've heard from Pokémon that ran into them, the SOD warriors never say what the test exactly is."

"Oh…"

The Umbreon cleared his throat. "Ahem, to continue…When a Pokémon passes the initiation test, the Shadows of Darkness Army uses some unknown force to…bring out the dark side of that Pokémon, turning them evil in the process."

"What causes their bodies to turn black?" Charcoal questioned, scratching his head.

"Hmmm...It has to do with the process that turns them evil in the first place. Some sort of chemical reaction, I would wager. Their genetic code may just receive a slight fluke. But that's just a theory. But we do know that the blackening of skin and fur gives meaning to their name."

"Because they look like shadows."

"Exactly. And everything except the eyes turns black. Even your tail flame would if you should happen to end up a soldier for the S.O.D Army, Charcoal."

"_A soldier for the S.O.D Army…" _Just the mere _thought _made Charcoal shudder. "Boy, oh boy…I sure hope nothing like that ever happens to me!"

"And hopefully it won't," said Dusk, placing a paw around the Charmander's shoulder.

In his mind, Charcoal recounted what he and Dusk had discussed. And as the wheels of his psyche turned slowly, but surely a thought formed in his mind. A horrifying, gut-retching thought…

"Timber!"

Like a flame blazing suddenly and without warning, Charcoal came alive. The Lizard Pokémon raced past Dusk, causing the Umbreon to recoil in alarm.

"Charcoal? Charcoal?!" The Moonlight Pokémon hurried towards the stairs, but he was too late-Charcoal had vanished. Vanished up those limestone steps. Dusk let out a befuddled sigh, curious of what force possessed the Charmander to dash out of the room hastily like that.

Charcoal zipped up the stairway, like a bullet from a gun. Only one single, solitary thought swam around in the pool that was his consciousness.

"_I've got to warn Timber! I have to! Before…before __**they**__ get to him!"_

………………………………………………………………………………………….

A murky gloom spread itself across the terrain, casting a baleful black shade as it deftly weaved its way through the landscape. Barren plateaus, carved out of the mountain side by wind and rain long ago, formed stairways down the precipices. Scattered across those desolate elevations of dull russet ground were numerous outcroppings of rocks, every boulder and every pebble just as lifeless and bland as the entirety of the landscape. That land known simply as…Shieldstone Ridge.

Cyphon the Golduck ran, his smooth black skin blending almost perfectly with the shadow cast by the walls of the cliff side. The webbed-footed Pokémon made his way up the many plateaus, his breathing escalating from exhaustion. Finally, he reached the very pinnacle of the ridge, before his burning lungs had the chance to burst. He took a moment to catch his breath.

"Lieutenant Cyphon reporting in, O Great Commander Eclipse." the water-type called out, performing a salute of utmost respect.

"Ah! Cyphon. I have been expecting you." An imposing Tryanitar, rock-hard skin just as dark-colored as the Golduck which stood in front of him, stood atop a large stone slab.

Most Pokémon would feel severely intimidated by Eclipse's vary presence. Cyphon, however, was used to the dark-type Pokémon, and so calmly addressed him. "I have found that Treecko you wanted."

"Excellent, _ex-cell-ent. _And did he pass our little test?"

Had Cyphon a smidgeon of his free will left, he would be laughing out loud. However, the force of power that caused him to become a SOD warrior was its strongest when in the Commander's presence. "I regret to inform you that he didn't even come close, Commander."

"Ah, no matter. All he needs…is a little training. Ivan! Violet!"

From around the corner of a boulder came an Ivysaur and a Weavile. Both Pokémon looked like quite the soldiers, as they approached Eclipse in a composed yet powerful manner.

"You've summoned us, O' Great Commander Eclipse?" Violet the Weavile bowed at the waist in a sign of respect.

"Ah yes," the Tryanitar nodded. "Do you remember that Treecko from a few nights ago?"

"You mean the one we met in the Overgrown Forest?" Ivan the Ivysaur asked, tilting his head. "Yes we do."

"Good. Very good. Here's what I want you to do," the dark-hued commander began. "I want you both to go-go and find that Treecko. Give him the Shadows of Darkness initiation test. See if he is worthy of being a warrior. Understand?"

"Yes sir, Commander!" the Weavile and Ivysaur responded, saluting their leader. With that, the two Pokémon dashed off, the black shadows of Shieldstone Ridge concealing them.

"Very commendable Commander," Cyphon said. "But do you really think the Treecko is cut out to be a warrior in your great and wondrous army?"

Eclipse, his back turned, looked at the duck-like Pokémon through the corners of his eyes. "Yes I do, Lieutenant. And when this phrase is at last complete, well…" The black Tryanitar never finished his statement. But Cyphon, that clever Golduck, could tell that wicked, malicious thoughts were swimming around the pool contained deep within his master's mind.


	8. BeLonging

**I'm back! Sorry if these past couple of chapters have not been very action oriented. I'm taking this time to build the characters up. But don't worry, I have something planned out that will hopefully prove to be exciting, and action-packed. **

**Disclaimer: Gamefreak owns Pokémon. I do not. (I do however, own a level 100 Arcanine) ******

"_Tell me when it's over…"_

For the past several minutes, Timber had been waiting for the Meowth on the other side of the 'Deposit' Counter to hurry up and create a bank account for Team Comet. The Meowth, Nicholas, was…to put it bluntly, monotonous. He had a certain business air about him, and was obviously well educated-very well educated. However, the Scratch Cat Pokémon would spout-in a voice that was a flat as a grassy plain-words so long and confusing that Timber often had to ask him to repeat the phrase. And upon doing being asked such a thing, Nicholas would often lower his head, place a paw on that brow, sigh deeply, and reiterate what he had just said, in a clearer way.

"I'm finished. Your team's Account has just been created."

"Thanks, Nicholas," the young Treecko replied.

"It was my utmost gratification,"

"Come again?"

Nicholas's shoulders shagged. "It was my pleasure…" his dull voice trailed off.

"Now I get it," the Treecko replied, as he headed for the exit that would take him out of the Cobalt City Bank.

"Halt."

"Yes, Nicholas?"

"Come here." The normal-type demanded.

Timber obeyed. _"What does he want? I would really like to get away from this place."_

Once the Treecko was right in front of the counter, Nicholas leaned over, until he was inches away from Timber's face, a grim look on his features. "Here at the Cobalt City Bank, we have a regulation. And that regulation informs you that is erroneous to embezzle anything from our Vault. If you achieve such an act, I will have the Arcanine Police Corps on you with swift promptness. Understand?"

"Um…I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't."

"Don't steal any money, and we'll be alright," explained Nicholas with a sigh.

"Now I get it. Thanks Nicholas and bye!"

"Farewell, farewell."

"_Finally!" _Timber thought._ "I can leave! That guy thinks just because he can talk in huge words that he's better then me! The nerve!"_

With that said, Timber walked out of the bank. From the outside, the place seemed way too small to hold millions of Poké. However, when one opened the wooden door, all was revealed. The building was simply the bank's lobby. Two sandstone counters were situated near the north wall. The right counter was for deposits, and the left for withdrawals. On the ceiling hung a candle-filled chandelier, the light from the flames casting shadows on the walls.

On the leftmost corner of the lobby was a small stair case leading underground. A door was at the foot of the steps. Painted on the entrance was the wood 'Vault' in perfect Unownscribe. Upon opening the door, one would see another staircase descending deep underground, leading to more Poké then they could count.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

"Timber!"

The familiar voice of Charcoal Charmander prompted the Wood Gecko Pokémon to turn and greet his young friend. "Hey there Charcoal! What's up buddy?"

Charcoal had run without pause, this was clear. His breathing, shallow and heavy, came in short bursts. Tiny cascades of sweat poured down his face, and onto the cobblestone street. "Tim…ber…you…are…in…great…danger…" the Lizard Pokémon struggled to say those words, his voice hoarse.

"Eh…what are you talking about, Charcoal?"

"Timber…" the fire-type began, his voice slowly getting stronger. "Listen to…what…I have to…say…"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"So let me get this straight; you're saying that this 'Shadows of Darkness Army plans to recruit me as a warrior? And that I'll turn evil and become a living shadow?" Timber asked Charcoal, after the latter had recounted what Dusk told him.

"Pretty much, I'm afraid," the Charmander answered, slowly nodding his head.

"Nah!" The green Pokémon crossed his arms over his chest. "That'll never happen to me."

"Timber!" Charcoal snapped. "This is serious! What if something like that _does _happen to you?"

"Now Charcoal, I understand your concern, but you don't have about me. I'll be fine!" Timber stated, placing a green hand atop the Charmander's orange, leathery shoulder.

"I hope you're right, Timber," Charcoal said, his head hung crestfallenly.

"Hey now, cheer up pal!" The Wood Gecko Pokémon extended his arm, that green-skinned palm facing the orange-blue sky, toward the Exploration Guild. "Come on! I heard the guild has a dojo! How cool is that?!" Timber shouted excitedly.

"Oh yeah! The dojo! I remember seeing that. Well…I still want to learn a few fire attacks." Charcoal shrugged, a crooked smile crossing his orange muzzle.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Team Comet eventually crossed the doorway that led into the dojo. The place itself was a large area. Seventeen doors stretched from one end to another, each room specializing in training a specific Pokémon type. The plain, yet unique aspect of normal-types. The shady attribute of dark-types. The clairvoyant wonder of psychic-types. The brawny mettle of fighting-types. The stone cold aspect of rock-types. The blazing glory of fire-types. The aquatic marvel of water-types. The arctic amazement of ice-types. The aerial trait of flying-types. The metallic fortitude of steel-types. The shocking splendor of electric-types. The earth-shattering attribute of ground types. The ethereal property of ghost-types. The toxic grandeur of poison-types. The botanical characteristic of grass-types. The creepy-crawly mannerism of bug-types. And the mystical aura of dragon-types.

"This place sure has a lot of rooms." Timber noted.

"Yes it does," Charcoal agreed. He walked over to a door with a red and yellow flame painted on the very center. "This must be where I should train."

"And I should train here," Timber said, approaching a door with a dark leaf painted on it.

"Good luck Timber."

"Same to you."

With those words of encouragement, the two members of Team Comet headed to the room pertaining to their respective types. Charcoal nearly gasped when he saw what lay behind the doorway.

The first thing he noticed was the sweltering heat. It must've been at least over a hundred degrees in that room-a regular furnace. Steam rose from up from miniature craters, with such force that any other Pokemon type would've received excruciating burns if the vapor were to hit their skin. But it was something else that really caught the sapphire eyes of young Charcoal Charmander. There, surrounding the entirety of the room, were a multitude of pillars. Wrapped around these columns were candles to numerous to count, their wicks blazing brightly with crimson flames. It looked like a literal column of fire.

Charcoal stared, his mouth hanging open and eyes wide, in sheer awe.

"I have just found my favorite place in the entire guild."

The Charmander didn't know whether it was caused by being surrounded by Pokémon of his own type, from being near that scalding hot steam, or being encircled by the blazing pillars of fire. All he knew was that he felt a sensation- a belonging he never felt before. He felt completely mesmerized by his surroundings-it was like a dream he never wanted to awaken from.

But he did.

"Marvelous, you know?"

Caught by slight surprise, Charcoal turned to see a Monferno standing right behind him. "Yes it is."

"All fire-type Pokémon that come here stare at this place like that," the Monferno explained in a gruff voice. "It's part of our natures, you know?"

"I'll bet they do. This place is amazing!"

"Yes it is, you know?" the Monferno paused to clear his throat. "My name is Mach. I run this part of the dojo."

"Wow! I'm Charcoal of Team Comet. Why do they call you Mach?" the adolescent Charmander inquired.

"It's quite simple, you know?" the monkey-like Pokémon said.

"Um…no I don't know," replied Charcoal, shaking his head.

"I'll have to show you then." Mach stepped out to the side and got into a fighting pose. Suddenly, the Monferno jabbed at the air with blinding speed. Charcoal was convinced that, had he blinked, he would have not been able to see that punch. Mach swiftly turned to the side, his tail whipping around his body. Two more punches were thrown. Jab, jab, turn, jab, turn, jab, jab, jab.

"I see where your name came from now. Those Mach Punches are fast!" Charcoal remarked.

"Ah yes," Mach began. "Those were the result of years of hard training, you know? Now," the Monferno shifted his attention to the young Charmander. "What aspect of your fighting style do you wish to improve, Charcoal?"

Charcoals hands were clasped behind his back, his head hung low, and his feet shuffled as he stuttered. "I want to…that is, I wish I could…I can't…"

"You don't know how to breathe fire."

The Lizard Pokemon slowly made eye contact with Mach. "_How did he…? Oh wait, I know how. A fire-type's pride. Anyone of us would be ashamed to admit being unable to use fire attacks."_

"Come," Mach said. "Follow me."

…………………………………………………………………………..

"As you might know, all fire-type Pokémon have an internal flame sac located right below their throats," the Monferno said.

"Yes, yes I do."

"It is through those sacs that we can use attacks like Flamethrower, Heatwave, and Fire Blast. To use these attacks, you must contract the muscles in your throat."

"Hmmm…I never thought of that."

"Now, as a first-timer, you will only be able to use basic attacks such as Ember, you know? However, with practice, lots of practice that is, you will be able to perform Fire Spin, Flamethrower, even attacks like Flare Blitz, you know? Before we continue, though, tell me Charcoal-Do you want to evolve one day?"

Parts of Charcoal's flame turned bright blue-a typical Charmander gesture of excitement. "Yes! Yes I do! Being a Charizard would be awesome! I'd be bigger, stronger, and best of all; I would be able to fly!"

Mach gave a nod of understanding. "I see. Well young Charcoal, there is something else you can look forward to after evolving."

"Really? What's that?" the adolescent Charmander asked, his head cocked to one side.

"Charizard are one of the few Pokémon that can learn Blast Burn. That, Charcoal, is the strongest fire attack known to Pokémon."

Before, only a few bits of Charcoal's tail flame were blue. Now, the_ entire _flame was completely a light fluorescent blue color. "Wow! The strongest fire attack?! I might be able to learn it?"

"That's right. But before you can perform strong attacks like that, you must learn the basics first, you know?" Mach stated. "Now, try and contract those throat muscles. It may be a bit uncomfortable at first, but you'll get used to it after a while, you know? When you feel the heat building up in your mouth, let it all out."

"_Alright then, here I go," _Charcoal thought. As he forced the muscles in his throat to contract, he could feel the flames easing up to his mouth, filling Charcoal with a pleasantly warm sensation. "_Hmm… I wonder what would happen if I held my breath. Would that make more flames build up in my mouth? Would that, in turn, make my attacks stronger? Well, I guess I could test my theory."_

Faster and faster he felt the flames build up, until the young Pokémon felt he could hold his breath no longer. The ordeal proving to be too much for him, Charcoal opened his mouth widely. However, not one solitary ember was released from his maw. Instead, the fire-type released a thick, black cloud of smoke. "What…_cough!_...What in the world?" Charcoal coughed violently, taken aback by what had just transpired.

Mach explained the situation. "You see, if a fire-type Pokémon holds their breath during the process of building up flames, the fire is extinguished, you know? So, instead of breathing fire, you breathe smoke. On the bright side, you did learn a very useful technique. Smokescreen. With that move, you can blind your opponent in a cloud of smog, you know? Now, let's try that again and this time, don't hold back those flames Charcoal!" the Monferno laughed heartedly.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

"Whoa…" was all Timber Treecko had uttered since stepping into the dojo's grass room. Emerald green grass spread across the floor, its blades forming a soft carpet. Vines snaked around thick wooden poles halfway buried in the ground, their ivy leaves sticking out. The sweet aroma of vibrantly colored flowers filled the air with an enchanting, welcoming fragrance. A trio of giant trees stood in the very center of that Dojo room. Their branches were thick and sturdy, like the bark had been wrapped around shafts of concrete. The chlorophyll in the spade-shaped leaves was certainly at its highest level, making the leaves a bold, dark evergreen color. Truly, it was quite a sight for grass-type eyes.

"_This reminds me of…home…"_

Out of the blue, a pang of homesickness swept over the young Treecko. He felt a longing- a longing to climb that giant oak, a longing to hang out and chat with friends, a longing…for home.

Timber gave a deep sigh. "_You_ _know…this could easily become my favorite place in the entire guild," He thought with a smile._

"Ah, a new face for me to memorize," came a sweet voice. A large Meganium had walked right over to the adolescent Wood Gecko Pokemon. "What is your name, young Treecko?"

"I'm Timber. Timber of Team Comet."

"Timber, eh?" the Meganium repeated. "That is a fine name for a young Treecko such as yourself. You can call me Rose. I run the Dojo's Grass Room."

"Really?" Timber cocked his head to the side.

A grin crossed Rose's face. "Do not let my looks fool you. I was quite the fighter back in the day."

"Cool. Say Rose, I would really like to get stronger in battle. Can I challenge you to a match?"

If Meganium had eyebrows, Rose would've surly raised hers. "You want to battle me? Well, I never turn down a willing challenger, but are you _sure _you want to?"

"I can handle anything that comes after me!" Timber said with confidence.

"Alright then, let us get ready," the Meganium replied, walking backwards. "All set?" she asked once she was a fair distance away.

"Ready!" Timber called out.

"Let us begin."

Timber made the first move. Like a bullet from a gun, he shot forward with a Quick Attack. Rose quickly countered by launching forth two long vines. She wrapped them around Timber's waist, tripping him up, and stopping him in his tracks. The young Treecko then felt his feet leave the ground. With a grunt, he struggled to escape the hold of those vines. He thrashed about, this way and that.

"Let us see how you like this attack," Rose replied. From her mouth erupted a stream of glowing yellow-green seeds. The projectiles hit Timber on his lower jaw in a steady fashion.

"_Wait! I know that attack! It's Bullet Seed! I've seen some Treecko back home use that move."_ An idea materialized itself within the depths of the young grass-type Pokémon's mind. "_I've got it! I'll use Bullet Seed myself! All I gotta do is watch how Rose does it, then I'll copy her! Boy, I'm good! Hahaha!"_

Despite the pain he felt, Timber forced himself to watch how Rose performed Bullet Seed. He watched how the Meganium seemed to concentrate. He noticed how a yellow-green glow would materialize between her jaws. He saw how Rose would let go of her concentration, subsequently releasing a barrage of seeds.

"Have you given up yet?" Rose asked, wondering why the Treecko had not made any new moves."

"Not a chance!" Timber shouted from above. "_Okay Timber, concentrate. Focus all your energy inside your mouth…come on…come on…Yes! I've got something!" _It was small, but unmistakable-the feeling of energy building up inside his jaws. And the sensation just continued to grow.

"_Okay, here I go!_" Timber stared hard at Rose.

His amber eyes narrowed.

He took careful aim.

He opened his mouth.

He fired.

He failed.

Instead of firing off a steady stream of bullet seeds, two dinky, yellow-green sparks of kernels emerged from his mouth. You never saw a more surprised Treecko. His mouth hung open, as if his jawbones had dislodged from each other. His already bulged out eyes were rather wide and his silted pupils were no more than a thin, black line.

Rose managed to suppress a laugh at Timber's expression. "Not a bad try for a first timer. However, I am afraid that won't defeat your opponents." The Meganium thrust her shoulders forward. From the inside of her neck flower, came several razor sharp leaves.

Timber cried out in agony, as many slashed through the skin of his arms, legs, and face. To make matters worse, no longer was the young Pokémon 'safely' suspended in midair by Rose's vines. Now, he felt himself free-falling. A few seconds-which felt like several anguished-filled minutes-passed, and then…

_Thud!_

Timber was now laying face-first on the verdant floor. As he slowly rose onto his hands and knees, he saw Rose fast approaching him, her head down low. Timber was a determined young Treecko, however, and would not go down easy.

_Wham!_

In one swift motion, Timber had leapt to his feet, swung his tail around, and connected with a Pound attack to the Meganium's neck. This stopped Rose, but it didn't given Timber the advantage. For Rose was very quick to recover from that Pound attack, and soon her opponent found himself receiving several lashes from the dojo leader's vines.

"_Ow_!" _Snap! "Now I know why-." Crack! "_**Ouch**!" _"They call this attack-." Whack! _"**Youch!" **_"Vine __**Whip!**__" Smack! _"Ack!"

"Do you surrender, Timber Treecko?"

"I…I surrender…" It hurt Timber to say those words, oh like a dagger to the heart it hurt! There stood Timber, his head hung low, his back bent over, his arms dangled out in front of him, and his tail hung limply behind.

Rose approached the defeated Wood Gecko Pokémon, a concern look on her face. "I know you are feeling ashamed right now, Timber. But do not let this get you down. You can learn from your losses. Besides, you have begun to teach yourself the Bullet Seed attack."

"I guess you're right," Timber said, his mood already starting to improve. "Next time I'm in a battle, I'll win for sure!"

A grin crossed the face of Rose the Meganium.

…………………………………………………………………………………

Charcoal lay down on that wool-filled mattress, his bruised and exhausted body crying out for sleep. He shouldn't have battled with Mach. But yet he did. Mach had offered to test Charcoal's skills in battle. The Charmander had accepted, with some hesitation. He soon began to regret his decision. Oh, Charcoal managed to get a few hits in. He even managed to perform a semi-successful Ember Attack. Ultimately though, it was the Dojo Master that emerged victorious. The Monferno's lightning quick Mach Punches coupled with his blistering hot fire attacks proved too much for the young Charmander, and as a result, he fell, defeated. However, the ending scene wasn't all somber and gloomy, as Mach praised Charcoal for a job well done and wished him luck and success in future mêlées.

Timber came in the room next. While not as tired as his partner, the Wood Gecko Pokémon was nevertheless worn out. So with a single lingering yawn, he flopped onto his bed. Within mere seconds he felt himself drifting off into the realm of dreams…

Sleep began easily for Timber that night. However, it would not end that way…


	9. Nightmare of the Mind

**I'm back! Sorry I'm late-I'm working on another Fanfic alongside this one. In any case, I hope the longer wait was worth it, and enjoy!**

**I would like to thank both ShadowDragoon32 and EkaSwede for reviewing. I appreciate it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not, I repeat, do not own Pokémon. Thank you.**

Timber lay on that bed, green eyelids concealing amber eyes, blood red chest rising and falling with every anguished breath he took. The events of the day were ever present in his mind. And it was two specific memories, both as different as land and sea, yet connected to each other just the same, that managed to weave their way into his subconscious. And in doing so, gave Timber a little presentation-a spine-chilling horror film, in which the star…was him.

_Timber looked up that cliff, a strange feeling of foreboding washing over him. He took a deep breath to calm those troubled nerves. His hands and feet latched onto dark brown stone. The Treecko then began his ascent up that rocky crag. As he climbed, he noticed something quite peculiar. Although the ground underneath Timber became farther away, the cliff's zenith never seemed to get any closer. The precipice seemed to grow, stretching eternally. Timber's mind told him he should stop, but his body wouldn't listen. It was as if he was a marionette on strings, controlled by some supernatural force. _

_For several minutes, the Treecko scaled that ever-growing cliff. Suddenly, and without any forewarning, the russet stone began to crack. Cascades of pure darkness seeped from the fractures, surrounding a twenty-foot radius. Like lightning, Timber's eyes darted in all directions, displaying mortal dread. He had to find a way out. It was hopeless._

_He was trapped._

"_Aaaahhhh!!!!" Like it had at other sections, the part of cliff where Timber was hanging cracked this way and that. However, instead of darkness slowly seeping out of the cracks, the inky blackness practically gushed out, sending rocks and Timber down with it._

"_Someone! Anyone! Help me!"_

_Just as he cried out those words, the young Treecko hit solid ground with a sickening thud. He slowly forced his eyes open. In front of him was a familiar orange foot with small ivory nails. Timber let out a sigh of relief._

"_Charcoal! Boy am I glad to see you, pal! Hey, do you think you could-"the Treecko gasped when he looked up at the fire-type. Charcoal's tail flame was a jet black color. A grey mist surrounded him, the haze coming from the tip of that flame. Charcoal's leathery skin was pale and parts of it hung so loosely around his body that they sagged down. Blood red eyes met those of golden amber, piercing through Timber's very soul._

_Silence hung over the two Pokemon like a thick, misty fog. Finally, Charcoal spoke. "TiMbeR…YoU aRe iN gReAT dAnGEr!" The deformed Charmander pointed an accusing claw at Timber, a malicious laugh escaping from his mouth._

"_K-keep away from me!" the Treecko shouted. He scooted backwards a ways, until he bumped into something large and hairy. When Timber looked over his shoulder, he saw Dusk. The Umbreon's coat looked mangled and very unkempt. Patches of fur were missing, and, as if a bad attempt to compensate for the bare skin, other sections of fur were quite saggy and long. His eyes were just as deep a crimson color as Charcoal's were. Black light poured from the rings on Dusk's body. A sinister, throaty laugh was expelled from his mouth. "If I wERe yOu, TiMBeR, I'd wAtcH mY bACk._

"_Ahh! N-no! Help!" Timber shouted. He leaped to his feet and tried to break into a run. In his frightened state, he had momentarily forgotten that he was trapped inside a room of darkness. Therefore, it would have been an understatement to say that the Wood Gecko Pokémon panicked when he remembered where he was._

"_Somebody! Anybody!" he cried, pounding on the black walls. "Help me! Please!"_

_A prickling sensation-not unlike being stabbed with several tiny needles-ran up Timber's neck. He had the strangest feeling that someone, somewhere, was watching him. Eyeing him. Glaring at him. With a gulp, he turned his head to see just who was watching him._

_Not one, but two Pokémon were staring at Timber. However, they might as well have been a single Pokémon. _

"_St-static? Hazel?!"_

_The Pikachu and the Pacharisu stood side-by side. Two pairs of sinister red eyes glared daggers into Timber's very spirit. The yellow bands around Static's ear tips stretched across his body like two giant, slack rubber bands. The conical pillars of fur on Hazel's tail had changed dramatically. Now they were spikes as hard as stone, and as sharp as nails. And they didn't settle simply for the Electric Squirrel Pokémon's bushy tail. On the contrary, those spikes had grown all over her body-head, ears, back, feet-making _

_The Pacharisu a living, deadly pincushion. Hundreds, upon hundreds of black electric bolts poured from the pouches inside both Static and Hazel's cheeks. The electricity ran together, fusing the two electric types into one._

_Although both of their mouths moved, the members of Team Stormrider spoke in a single, raspy voice. "Be cAreFuL, TiMbER," Static and Hazel laughed a malevolent laugh. "Be vErY cArEfUl!"_

"_S-stay away from me!" Timber shouted. "Help!" Malicious, throaty, raspy laughs filled his 'ears' and vindictive blood-red eyes stared him down. The young Treecko lay curled up in a ball against a corner, shivering in mortal dread. "Please…somebody…anybody…I don't care who it is…just help me!"_

"_Oh…yOu dOn'T care wHo iT iS, Treecko?"_

_At the sound of that voice, Timber's head shot up and he saw…him._

_Except for some black light radiating from the blackened ruby on his forehead, Cyphon the Golduck had not one deformity about him. He had, however, grown. Like an elephant over an ant, the Water-type Pokemon toward over Timber. A Wailord propped up on its tail fin could not compare to Cyphon's immense height. _

_If Timber was scared before, he was practically __**terrified **__now. He looked up at Cyphon, his golden eyes conveying trepidation and panic, and his entire body shook, not from a chill in the air, but from the Duck Pokémon's mere presence. _

"_When-when I said 'I don't care who it is,' I wasn't talking about you!" the Wood Gecko Pokémon retorted._

_A sound akin to that of a laugh mixed with a growl escaped Cyphon's throat. "I'm sOrRy tO hEAr tHaT, TrEEckO. FoR yOU sEe, I hAvE a rEqUeSt fRoM tHe CoMmAndEr tO tAkE yOu tO hIm."_

"_You can't…" Timber paused to swallow a lump that had developed in his throat. "You can't make me!"_

_With a laugh that was dripping with maliciousness, the black Golduck shook his head. "SOrRy, bUt I'm aFraId yOu hAVe nO cHoIcE." _

_A shadow of darkness that hovered over Timber grew larger and larger as Cyphon moved his webbed hand toward the grass-type. Timber tried to run, but found his feet locked together with the ground. His whole body quivering violently, he looked up at the colossal, villainous Golduck. And it was then that the adolescent Treecko gave one final fear-filled cry. _

"_Help me!"_

"_Gasp!"_

Timber sat bolt upright in his bed. Sweat rolled off his brow like water off a Psyduck, the droplets hitting the white mattress. His breath came in short, quick bursts. And his heart beat in his chest with such intensity so as to ne compared to that of a drum being relentlessly pounded.

The Treecko, now beginning to calm down a bit, looked around at his surroundings. Four concave rock walls made up a small room. A tiny torch, no bigger than a small pinecone, jutted out of a corner. Its flame gave off a dim light in an otherwise dark room. A pair of beds stood side by side. On the leftmost bed was Timber and on the right lay Charcoal.

The fire-type Pokémon lay on his left side, his tail dangling over the ledge. That red-orange flame of his burned brightly with a healthy glow. Charcoal's peach-colored chest rose and fell in a slow, steady fashion. Etched on his orange muzzle was a bright, beaming smile. Yes, young Charcoal Charmander sure looked quite peaceful sleeping on his small bed, completely oblivious to the ordeal his partner had suffered through.

"_So it was all just…a dream?" _Timber thought._ "Yikes, but it seemed so-so…real…"_

Timber eased himself back into bed, his green head hitting the white pillow, and heaved a deep sigh-one that seemed to relax the Wood Gecko Pokémon greatly.

"Yeah…" the adolescent Treecko whispered to himself. "It was just a dream. A really creepy dream, but a dream just the same."

The grass-type suddenly felt those green eyelids of his getting rather heavy. Timber blinked once, twice, and with a low, deep, lingering yawn, closed his amber-colored eyes and drifted back to sleep.

"_Yep, it was all just…a dream…"_


	10. A Rising Prediciment

**Well, it's taken over a month, but chapter ten is now finshed! And for those of you who were a bit creeped out by last chapter, don't worry, this one is much more light-hearted. **

**I would like to thank June Ellie, 2percent, and ShadowDragoon32 for reviewing my story. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I've said this before, and I'll say it again-I don't own Pokemon. **

A brand new day dawned in Cobalt City, as the sun rose above the horizon. Rays of warmth poured from that star, rousing Pokémon of all kind as it seeped through the windows. However, not all Pokémon were awakened by such a tranquil alarm clock.

"Up and at 'em apprentices! Rise and shine! You don't want to be la for today's briefing, now do you?"

_Oh no…"_Charcoal moaned internally, rolling on his side on that small bed. _"Not that Loudred again! It's been two weeks and I __**still**__ can't get used to his voice!"_

"Well…now that I'm awake, I might as well get ready," the fire-type said to himself, as he eased of the bed.

"Good morning Charcoal!" Timber sauntered over to his partner, a big grin spread across his face. The Charmander looked over the Wood Gecko Pokémon.

"Gee, you look like you're in a good mood," Charcoal remarked.

Timber shrugged, his half-closed eyes looking right at the Lizard Pokémon. "Aren't I always?"

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Team Comet made their way through the carefully carved hall. Rod was leading the way. Charcoal and Timber looked around at their surroundings. Torches burned with a great brilliance, the flames casting dancing shadows on the wall. Other Pokémon walked up and down that stone corridor, passing the professor and Team Comet. A Combusken scrambled through the hall, obviously in a great rush. On the other side of the spectrum, an Arcanine strolled by, greeting a Wartortle along the way.

"Professor?" Charcoal asked when they stepped into the Mission Chamber. "What's our assignment for today?"

"Today," the Manectric began, "I have an important job for you two."

"Is it full of dangers and risks?" Timber wondered, curious to know what Rod wanted of them.

The Professor of the Beginner's Class shook his head. "Well, not exactly. However, it is a bit more difficult then what you're used to. Ah, he we are," he finished, stopping in front of the E-Rank Board. "Charcoal, would you read the second sheet from the left please?"

The lizard Pokémon gave a quick nod. "I'd be happy to." He began to read.

_A friend of mine (A Sandshrew by the name of Digsby), and I were taking a stroll _

_near the woods a few miles east of Cobalt City, when a flock of wild Staravia _

_attacked us. In our panic, we sort of lost track of each other. So when the _

_Staravia left, I went to look for Digsby. I searched for several hours, and did_

_not find any sign of my friend. Which brings me to my next point. Near the_

_woods where Digsby and I were, there is a Mystery Dungeon called Perilgren_

_Forest. I'm worried that my friend might've run into the dungeon by accident._

_I am afraid that he might be lost. If anybody reads this, could you find and_

_rescue him? I would greatly appreciate it!_

_Kune the Zigzagoon _

Charcoal placed a hand behind his head and began to rub his neck. "Oh man, I can't believe something like that happened. Poor guys."

Timber turned his head toward Rod." You're right Professor, that does sound a little tougher."

"What kind of Pokémon live in Perilgren Forest?" Charcoal inquired, his head cocked to one side.

"Ah yes, Perilgren Forest is full of grass-types with a few electric-type Pokémon scattered around. It's common to see some Turtwig, Oddish, Shinx, Sunkern, and Plusle around," the Discharge Pokémon answered. He then proceeded to lower his voice. "Remember, this is an important mission. Those two Pokémon are counting on you. Are you sure you're both up to it?"

"I'm as sure as ever!" Timber cried, his usual air of confidence ever present.

"And you, Charcoal?" the electric-type Pokémon turned to face the Charmander in question.

"Yes. Yes I am," the fire-type replied. "Together, Timber and I will rescue that Sandshrew and reunite two good friends!"

Rod smiled and placed a paw on Charcoal's shoulder. "That's just what I wanted to hear from you! It is the willing that make good explorers, even if there are dangers. Now, you two should get ready for your mission. This time, I'm letting you figure out what items to pack.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

The two members of Team Comet found themselves inside the Camoscure Market. The store, located on the western side of town, was a vast emporium. Items of all kinds, from lustrous orbs to scarves made from the finest cloth, lay neatly on wooden shelves. With all the items available and the sheer size of the stone building, it was surprising that the Camoscure Market was run by two, and only two, Pokemon.

Kerch the Kecleon, and his twin brother, a pink one by the name of Lenox, managed the vast mall. Seasoned business Pokemon, they had created the Camoscure Market over twenty years ago. To this very day, they still sell those much needed and wanted items to any paying Pokémon.

Kerch approached Team Comet. "Could I help you boys with anything else?"

Charcoal was the one to speak. "Do you have any Cheri Berries? My friend and I will be in Perilgren Forest for our mission, and we don't want to get paralyzed or anything."

"Sure thing kid!" The green Kecleon walked over to shelf filled with many colorful pouches. "Now let's see…" Kerch stated, looking the items over. "Cheri Berries, Cheri Berries, Cheri Berries. Ah, here we are!" He exclaimed, grabbing a bright red sack with the words "Cheri Berries" sewn on it.

"Here you go. One pack of six," Kerch said, handing Charcoal the red sack.

"Thanks."

"That'll be ninety Poké for that particular item, please."

"Right here," Charcoal handed several gold coins to the older Pokémon.

Kerch went over the items the Charmander had bought. "Let's see...that's a pack of Cheri Berries, some apples, a few Blast Seeds, and am I forgetting something?" The Color Swap Pokémon racked his brain for the answer. "…Ah yes, I remember! You bought a Petrify Orb too, if I'm not mistaken."

The grinning Lizard Pokémon nodded. "That's right."

"Is there anything else you need?"

"I'll check," Charcoal turned and cupped a hand over his mouth. "Have you got everything?"

The Treecko's voice came from the other side of the shop "An Escape Orb, a sack of five Sleep Seeds, a Switcher Orb. Plus we have those two Pecha Scarves from our last mission in Vineflat Plains."

Charcoal sighed. "_Ah yes, the Vineflat mission. We never could find the Luminous Orb we were supposed to. A group of Phanphy had to attack us. That was our second failed mission," _the Pokemon thought. "And we have plenty of Oran Berries from the last few missions." He turned and addressed Kerch. "That will be all for today."

The Color Swap Pokemon nodded his head. "Fine by me. Good luck on your mission, you two."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Dark green grass lightly rustled, as the wind blew over the field. Two shadowy figures made their way across the lea. One of them hiked confidently, her eyes scanning the horizon. The other Pokemon trodden slowly behind, his eyes downcast. Violet the Weavile and Ivan the Ivysaur were searching for Timber. The grass-type Pokemon was the first to speak.

"How long has it been? Two weeks, right? Two whole weeks since Commander Eclipse ordered us to find that Treecko. And have we found him? Noooo, we haven't! Lieutenant Cyphon finds that Wood Gecko Pokemon in a few days flat and we're still searching. It ain't right I tell you! Why can't we-

"Silence!"

"Auck!" Ivan never saw it coming. Quick as a flash, Violet had put a claw to the Ivysaur's throat, nicking it slightly. Clearly irritated, he backed off a bit, a minute strand of blood trickling down his throat.

"What was that for!?" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

"What, you ask? I'll tell you what." The black Weavile slowly circled Ivan, never taking her eyes off him. "For the past several days, you have done nothing but complain. 'Why can't we find the Treecko?' 'We'll never find him even if we search the whole planet,' 'How could Cyphon have found him in record time?' That sort of thing. You've even been doing it at night! A girl could get insomnia with you complaining! I'm sick of it, and you in general."

The villainous Ivysaur blew a leaf frond that had gotten in his eyes. "Sick of me, you say? Well I'm sick of you! You lead us in circles, almost never stop and rest, and you have almost cut my throat open several times! You can't accept the fact that we'll never find the Treecko!"

A malicious sneer crossed Violet's face. "Oh but we will."

"Oh yeah? How?"

"It's really quite simple. Which community is closest to the Overgrown Forest?"

Ivan had to think for a second. "Um…Cobalt City."

"That's exactly right. I think," the Weavile began, "I think that is where the Treecko is hiding, somewhere in Cobalt. Now, here's my plan. I propose we set up an underground camp near the outskirts of the city. That Treecko did not seem scared of us in our first meeting, and I'm sure he won't just hide in a safe building all day and night without going out a few times a day. So when he decides to go exploring, he'll pass us on his way out. Then we'll jump him, give him the initiation test. If he passes, we'll bring him to the Commander."

The grass-type Pokémon raised a eyebrow. "And if he's not in Cobalt City?"

"We'll just have to keep looking then."

The Ivysaur scoffed. "It'll never work......urk!"

Before Ivan could blink, Violet put a claw to his throat again, this time digging a bit deeper into the black skin. Anger was present in the Weavile's eyes.

"Tell me Ivan, who outranks who?"

"You outrank me Violet. Why?"

The dark/ice-type Pokémon calmly began to speak. "It's really quite simple," she raised her voice to a shrieking tone. "Because since I outrank you, you must, and _will_ do as I say!" Finally, she lowered her voice to a monotone whisper and spoke through tightly clenched teeth. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Very clear," Ivan replied in a hoarse voice. "Very clear indeed."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Perilgren Forest was a rather anomalous place-a typical Mystery Dungeon. The tree were not of the norm. Roots of a milky tan hue wrapped and contorted around the base of the trunk. The thick shaft itself was not the usual brown color, but a gray midtone, with the occasional stripe of black bark running down. The stems of asymmetrical leaves were attached to gnarled branches, the chlorophyll in them converging only around the edges, making the rest of the leaves a pale, sickly yellow color.

The grass underneath the feet of Charcoal and Timber felt stiff and strangely synthetic. The blades were the same height all throughout, with naught any variations between them at all. The dirt trail was about the only thing that was normal about Perilgren Forest.

"Digsby! Hey Digsby!" Charcoal called out as he and Timber hiked through the woods.

"Are you around?" the adolescent Treecko cried out.

"You don't have to be afraid, we just want to help!"

"I don't think he's in this part of the forest buddy."

Charcoal sighed in resignation. "You're right about that, pal. We've been searching this part of the forest for half of the morning, and have not found a single sign of that Sandshrew.

Timber paused to grab an orb from the bag. He tossed it up in the air, caught it with one hand, threw it up, caught it with the other, and repeated this process several times, all while walking. "Ah yes, that's true. But we did teach a good lesson to that Oddish we fought back there, didn't we?"

"Yeah, that we did," the Charmander said with a smile.

"Heh, that'll teach it not to mess with Team Comet!"

"But remember, finding that Sandshrew is our top priority," Charcoal reminded the Treecko.

Timber nodded in agreement. "You're right Charcoal. And I'm sure we'll find him very soon." With that, the young Treecko resumed calling out for that lost Pokémon. "Digsby! If you're around here, say so! You have a friend whose very worried about you!"

"Hmmm…I don't see anything yet…

"Charcoal, check that out!"

The Charmander turned his head in the direction his partner was pointing. Not too far away from where the two Pokémon were located, was a tree not unlike that of Perilgren's norm. The differing aspect of this particular tree was that its canopy was full of the reddish, largest, juiciest apples Team Comet had ever seen.

"Say Charcoal, are you as hungry as I am?" Timber inquired, rubbing his chin. "Maybe we should have a little snack. We could even eat the apples from that tree. We could save food that way."

Charcoal had to agree with him. "I could use a bite to eat. And saving food is a good idea."

"Alright then." Timber began sprinting toward the apple tree. "I'll get those apples down and we can have a nice meal." The Treecko scaled the trunk with every bit of skill his species possessed. Upon reaching a limb, he aimed a Bullet Seed at the stem connecting an apple to a branch. A barrage of seeds flew out of his mouth, and several knocked the red fruit off the tree.

Below, Charcoal dashed toward the falling apple. He caught the fruit with both hands and set it down against the tree trunk. The Pokémon then looked up at Timber and called out, "Okay buddy, once more!"

Timber flashed a thumbs up. He made his way over to another branch and fired a Bullet Seed at the second apple, knocking it clear off the tree. Charcoal ran to catch it, his arms outstretched in front of him. However, he was only a mere three feet away when the fruit landed on the ground, and began rolling down the hill.

"Darn! I missed!" the fire-type shouted, snapping his fingers in frustration.

Timber leaped down the tree and scampered towards the rolling apple. "Don't worry, I'll get it!" the Treecko called out, catching up to the fruit.

Just then, the bright red apple stopped rolling, as it bumped into the side of something black. Timber snatched the fruit off the ground, and began bouncing it up and down his hand. "Heh, heh, heh, gotcha, ya little rascal! And now," the Wood Gecko Pokémon brought the apple up to his face. "You're all-yoowww!!"

A wave of pain coursed through Timber's body. Flashes of yellow filled his vision and all he could hear were crackling screeches all around him. His eyes forced shut from the attack, the Pokémon turned his head toward his tail, where he had felt something sharply piece the skin. Blindly, he fired a salvo of glowing seed. Timber heard a small scream behind him and his pain began to ease.

The grass-type's tone was sharp. "What's the idea attacking a Pokémon like that!? You oughta be ashamed-" the Treecko turned to face his assailant. "-pal!"

In front of Timber was a wild Shinx. The electric-type Pokémon let out a growl as he circled the Treecko. Still moving, the Shinx crouched down, his eyes never leaving Timber's a fog of tension rolled across the two Pokémon as they stared each other down.

And then, then, the Shinx leapt.


	11. No Longer the Same

**It's that time again, the time when I update my story! This chapter is very important, and before it's finished, Team Comet will never be the same.**

**Before I start, I'd like to thank ShadowDragoon32, SytheRider, EkaSwede, and XD-Mew-XD :3 for reviewing last time. And I also would like to remind everyone that I do not own Pokémon. **

The young Shinx sailed toward Timber, his white fangs exposed. However, the electric-type never reached the Treecko, as a string of glowing green seeds sent him flying in the opposite direction. The Shinx landed near the base of a tree.

Timber laughed. "Ha! You thought you could defeat me? You're going to need a lot more practice before that happens!" With that, he launched a second round of Bullet Seeds at the Flash Pokémon.

"Shinx! Shinx!" the electric-type cried as his body was pelted relentlessly. "Shi-inx!" the Shinx sidestepped out of the way and headed for Timber again. And again the Treecko dodged the attack and used Bullet Seed.

Next, the Wood Gecko Pokémon ran forward and leapt up once he was a few feet away from the Shinx. Timber performed a single front flip, and his thick tail hit his opponent square in the back.

The Shinx wasn't out of the fight yet, though. His fangs glowing a bright yellow, the blue Pokemon headed for Timber's left leg. The grass-type, in turn, swept his tail at the young Shinx and used another Bullet Seed, sending him flying.

When his opponent picked himself up off the patch of grass he had landed on, Timber shot forward like a newly launched missile. The Wood Gecko Pokémon's head was lowered, and his feet pounded the ground as he ran. In just a few seconds, Timber's quick attack connected, and the Shinx was sent rolling.

"Shinx! Shinx, shinx, shinx!" was what the Flash Pokémon shouted at Timber as soon as he got up. "Shinx, shinx! Shinx, shinx, shinx!"

"Look pal, I don't know what your problem is," Timber began, his arms crossed over his blood-red chest. "But you brought this on yourself by attacking me for no reason! Now…" a satisfied smirk crossed his muzzle, "I'm going to finish this off!" Timber concentrated all his energy towards his throat, feeling a steady increase of that force. He threw his head back once and then released from his mouth…

A few dinky sparks of energy.

"What? No! No! No! I was doing so good at using my Bullet Seed before!" Timber shouted in frustration. He quickly calmed down though, and sighed deeply. "I guess I need much more practice then I thought." In all this, the Treecko had momentarily forgotten about his adversary.

Now, that Shinx may have been wild, but he certainly did not lack the rationality a civilized Pokémon would possess. On the contrary, that electric-type was quite cogent, as he had spent the last few seconds analyzing his current situation. And it took him a very short time to come to a conclusion; now that the Treecko was distracted, he could strike.

His chance had come now. The Shinx knew he had to attack soon, before his foe remembered the battle. So, with a determined look on his face, the blue Pokémon headed straight for Timber, his head lowered. "Shinx, shinx!"

_Wham!_

While Timber was sidetracked, the Shinx hit him with a Tackle attack to his middle. The Treecko staggered back several steps and then sank to his knees, clutching his stomach and moaning as he did so. To add insult to injury, the Shinx had sprinted behind him. The Flash Pokémon clamped his jaws around the Treecko's tail, sending jolts of electricity-and pain-coursing through Timber's body.

Meanwhile, his back against the trunk of the apple tree, Charcoal sat, finishing off the last of his juicy red apple. "Boy! Now that was delicious! Say, where's Timber? I haven't seen him this whole time." He got up and walked over to the other side of the tree, feeling a bit guilty for not checking on Timber sooner. After all, this was a Mystery Dungeon, and if they got separated from each other, it could be hours, even days, before they found one another again.

When Charcoal looked down the hill he was on, he was greeted by the sight of his partner locked in battle with a wild Shinx. "Where'd he come from?" the Charcoal wondered, as he looked at the electric-type that was using Thunder Fang on Timber. "Either way, I'd better help Timber out. Hang on buddy, I'm on my way!"

"Let…Ugh!...go!" Timber cried, trying to shake the Shinx off him. But no matter how much he flung his tail around, the electric-type Pokémon held on tight. The adolescent Treeck tried to ignore the pain the Thunder Fang was causing him, and began to prepare another Bullet Seed.

However, he never got a chance to attack, because at that very moment, thick black smoke clouded his field of vision. If that wasn't enough, he felt himself being painfully pulled away from the Shinx's grasp, parts of the flesh from his tail being ripped off. Timber soon found himself in the clear again, Charcoal removing his claws from his wrist.

"Thanks for the help, pal. And good idea using Smokescreen to blind that Shinx," Timber commented.

Charcoal coughed a bit before responding. "You're welcome, but in truth I was trying to use Ember, not Smokescreen. Luckily, I'm a quick thinker. So I decided the thing to do was to pull you away from the Shinx."

Timber frowned. "Oh. Well look what your quick thinking did to my poor tail!" The Pokémon showed his injured appendage to Charcoal, who looked it over.

"I'm sorry about that Timber. It should heal in no time, thanks to the effects of the dungeon. "Now we've got to take care of that pesky Shinx. I've got an idea." As Charcoal whispered his plan, Timber's eyes grew wide and a smirk crossed his muzzle.

"Charcoal, old buddy, that is a terrific idea! Let's do it!"

By this time, the Smokescreen had lifted and the Shinx was running toward Team Comet. His teeth glowed with the yellow radiance a Pokémon gets when they're about to use Thunder Fang. The blue-furred Pokémon dove for Charcoal, ready to sink his fangs into the Charmander's soft throat. However, he wasn't ready for what came next.

"Hup!" Charcoal had jumped up upon spotting the Shinx. A satisfied smile was on his muzzle. "Take this!" the fire-type sucked in his breath, readying himself for his first move. As soon as he opened his mouth, he unleashed a Smokescreen, this time with the fullest intention.

"Shinx, shi!" the electric-type cried, breaking into a coughing fit. Eyes watering, he staggered through the smoke and tried to find a way out.

_Wham!_

Thanks to the Smokescreen shield, the Shinx did not see Timber sprinting towards him. The Treecko connected with a Quick Attack to the left side and sent the Shinx flying into a tree.

The Shinx was a determined young Pokémon, however, so when he got his legs out from underneath him, he wasted not one moment heading back to Timber. "Shinx! Shinx! Shinx!" the Pokémon cried, getting ever closer to his target.

"Not so fast pal! Ha!" the grass-type sprang up to dodge the oncoming attack like it was nothing. Now the Shinx was wide open for the next part of Charcoal's plan to take action.

From the team's green canvas bag, the Charmander produced a well-polished orb. _I hope this is the right one," _he thought, as he shook the orb up and down. A liquidly substance was released inside the orb, becoming thicker as it swirled around in that translucent blue globe. It only took a few seconds for the substance to form words; Petrify Orb.

"Yes! Just the orb I wanted!" Charcoal cried in victory. He rubbed the top of the Petrify Orb. A bright white glow surrounded the lustrous sphere. It was now ready to be activated. The Pokémon crept toward the Shinx, taking care not to drop the object he held in his hands. At this point, the orb was extremely fragile, and if Charcoal was to let go of it, the blue globe would, of course, shatter. Not only that, but it would activate, and the Lizard Pokémon would end up paralyzed.

Soon, Charcoal found himself hidden behind a tree, watching Timber distracting the Shinx a few feet away. He took a deep breath and focused on the Flash Pokémon in front of him. He would only get a single shot, and he had to make it count. With all the force he could muster, Charcoal tossed the Petrify Orb.

_Whack!_

"Yes!"

Just like Charcoal had hoped, the orb hit the Shinx-hit him square on the back of his head. From the blue sphere's crack seeped some sort of yellow substance, a kind of liquidly smoke. This strange substance wrapped itself around the Shinx's body, snaking through his blue and black fur as it did so. The electric-type felt a tingling sensation course through his body as his muscles locked up, paralyzing him.

"Shinx, inx, shinx, shinx." The Flash Pokémon groaned as he hopelessly struggled to move any part of his body, any part at all.

"Okay, we've got him!" Charcoal called out to Timber, who gave a thumbs up. The Lizard Pokémon stepped forward, glaring at his electirc opponent, He contracted the muscles in his throat, causing the pleasant sensation of heat to fill his mouth. As soon as he opened his maw, several small flames were spewed out.

"Shinx! Shinx!" the electric-type Pokémon cried, eyes wide, as the flames engulfed him. Waves of sweltering pain coursed through his body, and parts of his fur charred black as the fire burned. Finally, this all proved to be too much for the young Shinx. So with one last pain-filled cry, he slumped to the ground, defeated.

Excited by their victory, the two members of Team Comet jumped up and high-fived each other.

Awesome job Charcoal!"

"You too Timber!"

Timber smiled and pointed a thumb at the fallen Shinx behind them. "We'd better go before he wakes up. Don't you think?"

Charcoal had to agree with his friend. "Yes, I think that would be for the best."

The young Treecko ran over a picked up the apple which had caused this whole mess. "Well, I hate to eat and run but," the green Pokémon took a bit out of his red snack. He then glanced at the Shinx out of the corners of his golden eyes and grinned smugly.

"See ya, pal!" he said as he and Charcoal walked away. The Shinx had begun to regain mobility by this time. The blue-furred Pokémon lifted his head off the ground and watched the two fleeting figures. In his red eyes was a look of sheer and focused determination.

"This is getting extremely old."

It was fast approaching noon in Perilgren Forest, and Team Comet was getting nowhere in their search for Digsby. No matter how many times they checked the forest's nooks and crannies, no matter how times they called out his name, that Sandshrew was nowhere to be found.

"I know Timber. How can one Pokemon be so hard to find? It just doesn't make sense!"

Timber sighed. "I wish I knew buddy. But no matter what, we can't just give up, right?"

"Oh, no we can't!" He motioned forward with his orange hand. "We should keep searching."

So with steadfast determination, they went on. Before they knew it, they had found themselves near a babbling brook. Drinking the refreshing water, its body bent over, wasa Poochyena. As Team Comet snuck past the Dark-type Pokemon, Timber spoke about it.

"Gee, that guy looks like a challenging foe. Just the way I like 'em!"

Charcoal cast a worried glance in his partner's direction. '_ He's not going to fight that Poochyena, is he? I really don't want to battle another Pokemon again, so soon. _

"Hey Charcoal!" Timber yelled, snapping the Charmander out of his thoughts. "Why are ya just standing there? He have to find the Sandshrew! You did say it was our top priority, did you not?" the Treecko asked, his head cocked to one side.

Charcoal was speechless. Timber had always wanted to succeed in his missions, for he enjoyed the thrills of adventure, and doing other Pokémon favors. However, the Wood Gecko Pokémon had a bit of a reckless streak. Whenever they saw a wild Pokémon in a  
dungeon, Timber would try to fight it, even if he was suffering seriousinjuries from a previous battle. Many times in the past Charcoal had to stop a fight before it could start, often by talking his friend out of it.

But this time, Timber was choosing _not_ to fight a wild Pokémon. Charcoal could not believe it, and yet it was really happening. Maybe Timber wasn't as reckless as he had thought.

"Hey Charcoal? Earth to Charcoal? Will ya snap out of it?"

"Huh?" the Charmander blinked and then noticed a three-fingered green hand moving up and down over his face. He shook his head and backed up a foot. "Oh sorry, I was just thinking about something.

"Chen!"

At the sound of that cry, the duo looked ahead in bewilderment. There was that same Poochyena they saw before. its shackles raised, and its teeth bared. Behind it were six smaller, but still menacing, Poochyena.

"Urgh! A whole pack of them! I really don't want to do this!" Charcoal complained.

"We have no choice. We have to fight them, they've got us cornered."

The Charmander looked behind him to see the clear blue creek. _"No,"_ he thought. _"I'm the one who's cornered. This creek is a little on the wide side, and it looks pretty deep for a Pokémon of my height." _

"Look out; they're getting ready to attack!" Timber warned.

The lead Poochyena backed up to the rear of the pack. It let out a cry, signaling the other Bite Pokémon to strike.

"Chen!"

The Poochyena on the far left jumped into the air and drifted towards Team Comet. However, a Pound Attack from Timber sent the grey-furred Pokémon back where it had come from. A second tried to tackle Charcoal, but was quickly dispatched with an Ember attack.

For what seemed like hours, Team Comet fought that pack of Poochyena. One by one the dark-type Pokémon fell, until all but one were defeated. The one Poochyena that was still standing was the leader of the pack.

Timber wiped off some sweat that had collected on his brow. "Just one more, buddy!" he told Charcoal, his tone a bit on the weary side.

"We can do this," an exhausted Charmander said to himself. "Hey Poochyena! Try an Ember attack on for size!"

"And while you're at it, how's about a Bullet Seed?"

The two Pokémon attacked the Poochyena simultaneously. However, the Bite Pokémon deftly dodged both moves, as if neither of them posed any threat to it.

"Chen, chen! Chen!"

Timber sidestepped out of the way to avoid his foe's gleaming white fangs. "I'm beginning to think that we shouldn't have wasted that Petrify Orb on that Shinx."

The fire-type sighed, right after he spewed several tiny flames at his grey-furredopponent. "You're right, I made a mistake when I planned everything back there."Charcoal leapt to avoid the Poochyena's Bite. "I should have saved it for something likethis-ack!

Charcoal's head hit the ground as the Poochyena tackled him. He moaned, and tried to get up. He couldn't however, because the dark-type Pokémon had him pinned down.

"Shinx!"

Timber turned his head toward the noise. "Oh no! Just our luck! That guy's coming back to settle the score!"

"Shinx, shinx, shinx! Shinx!"

"Chen? Chen!"

To everyone's surprise, the Shinx did not attack Team Comet, but the Poochyena theyhad been fighting. The electric-type connected with a strong Tackle, knocking the BitePokémon off Charcoal. The young Charmander quickly stood up.

"That Shinx…didn't come back to attack us. He came back…to help us!"

And the Lizard Pokémon could not have been more correct. For at that very moment, theyoung Shinx clamped his jaw around the tail belonging to a certain dark-type. ThePoochyena cried out in pain as jolts of electricity coursed through his body. It wasn't long before the grey-furred Pokémon was rendered defeated.

"When the dust had at last settled, Charcoal walked up to the young Shinx. "Thank you for helping us." He leaned down so he could be at the electric-type's level. "But why didyou do it?" he inquired. "Why did you save us after what happened before?"

The Shinx tried his best to explain. "Shinx, shinx, shinx, shinx, shinx, xhinx."

"What'd he say?" Charcoal asked out of the corner of his mouth.

"Search me," Timber shrugged. "I don't speak Shinx."

Charcoal thought for a moment, wondering exactly why the Shinx had helped then. It wasn't long before realization hit. "Say Timber, do you remember when I asked Dusk about the guild's Civilization Center?"

"Yeah. He said that sometimes, if we defeat a wild Pokémon in a Mystery Dungeon, heor she may come to respect us and might even want to join the team. If that happens, weshould take them to the Civilization Center, where they'll be taught how to talk and act in  
a civilized community. Why do…" It was at that very moment, that very nanosecond,that the same realization that had hit Charcoal before hit him. A beaming smile grew across his face.

"Timber," Charcoal began, his eyes still focused on the Shinx. "We have just found our third team member."

And so, Team Comet, with the addition of one extra member, continued their search in Perilgren Forest.

The Shinx, who Timber had named Thunder in hour of his Thunder Fang, had eagerly accepted when Charcoal invited him to join the team. Immediately, the two original members of Team Comet considered what good it would do to have Thunder a part of them. They had already seen the adolescent Pokémon in battle and they knew he was  
pretty strong. Also they knew that having an electric-type would mean that they would be prepared for a wider variety of challenges.

"Hey Thunder, think you can help us look for a lost Sandshrew?" Charcoal asked the Shinx.

"Shinx, shinx," the electric-type nodded, and he ran forward. He had sprinted for several feet, when he saw something that made him stop in his tracks. While he lacked the x-ray vision of his final evolved form, Luxray, Thunder's eyesight was nevertheless very sharp. So it wasn't surprising that he was the one to notice something odd about the ground  
underneath a bush. The electric-type ran over to that green plant, the soil underneath becoming clearer to his eyes.

And that's when he saw it.

Underneath the shrub was a small burrow. Thunder peered inside, careful to keep his distance, should the sett's occupant attack. Upon seeing who dwelled in that hole, the Shinx called out to his team mates.

"Shinx, shinx, shinx, shinx!"

When they heard the cries of their newest member, Timber and Charcoal wasted no time sprinting over to the bush where the Flash Pokémon stood.

"What is it, Thunder?" What's wrong?" Charcoal asked.

The Shinx simply pointed inside the hole. When he looked inside, Charcoal could not believe his eyes. Inside the burrow, cowering before them, was the Sandshrew they had been searching for this whole time. Digsby.

"Wow Thunder, you did it!" Timber said with a grin. "You found Digsby!"

Upon hearing his name, the Mouse Pokémon poked his head out of his makeshift warren. "Uh…who are you and how do you know my name?"

"We're Exploration Team Comet,: Charcoal explained. "Your friend Kune sent out a note asking for someone to help you. And we got the job," the Charmander finished with a smile.

Digsby beamed when he heard those words. "Wait, you mean you're here to…rescue me? Great! I've been hiding in that burrow for days, only emerging to gather food, and I've been waiting for someone to find me!" The ground-type Pokémon took a deep breath and smiled.

"Take me back to my best friend," he finished at last.


	12. Initiation

**Has it really been over a month since I last uploaded this story? Well, that can be explained by me having a really bad case of the dreaded Writer's Block. But the newest chapter is here now! Also, the ending came out completely different then I had planned, but I think it was for the better.**

**I'd like to thank SytheRider, ShadowDragoon32, and XD-Mew-XD :3 for reviewing the last chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Pokémon's not mine, I'm afraid.**

That familiar feeling of those waves of coldness, followed by a wave of warmth, a sensation of light-headedness, and ending with a sort of tingling sense, let the two senior members of Team Comet know that they were at last out of Perilgren Forest. Each of the Pokémon in that little group took a few seconds to look at their surroundings. As they did so, a mixture of feelings was among them.

To Digsby, it was like a breath of fresh air. After being stuck in that Mystery Dungeon for a few days, it felt good to not have to worry so much about being attacked by hostile Pokémon. For the Sandshrew, not having to fret about getting disoriented in an ever-changing maze was also a comforting feeling.

For Timber and Charcoal, it meant another successful mission. It filled both their hearts with glee to know that a fellow Pokémon was that much closer to being reunited with his best friend. In addition, this successful mission made both the Charmander and the Treecko feel more confident in their abilities, and they, especially Timber, felt as if they could do almost anything.

And for Thunder, it was the beginning of a new experience, a new beginning, a brand new life. The young Shinx looked forward to living in this pristine world he was now in, and he was determined to make the very best of it.

"I'd like to thank you three for getting me out of the Mystery Dungeon," Digsby quietly stated, easily breaking the silence.

"Think nothing of it," Charcoal said, returning the smile that the Sandshrew was presenting. "We were more than happy to help." The adolescent Charmander turned his head so he was facing the Treecko next to him. "Isn't that right, Timber?"

"Exactly buddy," the grass-type Pokémon answered with a quick wink. "Exactly."

"Shinx, shinx, shinx," Thunder declared with a nod.

Charcoal chuckled. "Well, it turns out that the newest member of our team also agrees with Timber and I." The fire-type Pokémon glanced back at the Sandshrew they had helped. He cleared his throat, and continued to speak. "Say Digsby, are you sure you'll be okay by yourself? Because my teammates and I could escort you back to your friend, Kune." He paused before stuttering, "I-if you want us to, that is."

The ground-type Pokémon gave a hearty chuckle. "Don't worry about me, Charcoal. I'll be just fine alone. But thank you anyway and before I go I just want to wish you, and your team, good luck in all your future assignments." With those parting words, Digsby gave a nod of thanks and quietly walked away.

Not long after the Sandshrew had left, Timber turned his head in the direction of Thunder and Charcoal, arms crossed over his blood-red chest. "Well I guess that chalks up another one for Team Comet!"

Charcoal agreed wholeheartedly. "That is does, Timber, that it does. But we could not have done it without Thunder here." The Charmander gestured to the Shinx in question. "He was the one who found Digsby in the first place."

"Shinx, shinx, shinx!" the electric-type thanked the Lizard Pokémon, a beaming smile on his furry muzzle.

"Well," Charcoal began, glancing towards the west, in the general direction of Cobalt City. "I think it's time we headed back to the Exploration Guild."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Cobalt City appeared over the horizon, as the three Pokémon made their way back to the guild. Happy to almost be back, Timber excitedly pointed out the city to Thunder.

"Ya see that city, buddy? Well on the other side is the guild where we all are staying. Cool huh?" he asked with a wink, to which the Shinx walking alongside him laughed.

A slight, ever so slight, rustling of grass caught the blue eyes of one Charcoal Charmander. He squinted at those verdant blades, waiting for any additional movement. However, the lawn remained still, as if they had just been sprayed with starch. Charcoal sighed deeply, and turned back to Thunder and Timber.

"Say guys, did…did you see how that grass moved?"

The two Pokémon slowly shook their heads, indicating that they had not seen what Charcoal had.

"No, I saw nothing of the sort," Timber declared.

"But I'm sure I saw that grass move," said Charcoal, as he looked back at the tall grass.

Timber shrugged his shoulders, not believing his friend. "You were probably just seeing things, must likely. Don't you agree with me, Thunder?"

"Shinx, shi-inx."

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," the Treecko said, tapping his chin.

However, Charcoal still wasn't satisfied. "But I am _sure _I saw something!"

"Indeed you did."

From out of the grass leapt one Ivan Ivysaur. He landed right in front of Team Comet, his shoulders tensed. His body language told the members of Team Comet that he desired a battle. Immediately.

"See? I told you I saw something," Charcoal reported to his teammates. "_I knew I wasn't imagining things…" _Quickly, he managed to get back to the topic at hand, as he turned to look at Ivan. Just a glimpse of the Ivysaur's black skin told the Charmander exactly what he wanted. The grass-type was a warrior for the Shadows of Darkness Army, the ones who were after Timber. Charcoal glared daggers at Ivan as he spoke to him. "I know why you're here. You're planning to-"

"What was that about!?"

Ivan rolled his eyes when he saw who that voice belonged to. Violet emerged from the tall grass, a hard scowl on her face.

"You did everything wrong!" the Weavile remarked. "Everything!"

"What did I do wrong?" the black grass-type asked, resentment present in his voice. "I surprised the Treecko, just like I was supposed to!" he snapped at her.

"Yes but you were supposed to jump him! That would have left him defenseless while I went and attacked him!" the dark/ice-type Pokémon clarified, her voice filled with even more rage then Ivan's had been.

Meanwhile, Thunder had grown quite baffled with the way things were currently going. Having not dealt with the S.O.D like Timber and Charcoal had two weeks ago, he couldn't understand why he was looking at two Pokémon who's skin was a complete jet black hue. Especially when the two Pokémon in question were not supposed to be black. The Shinx may have lived in a Mystery Dungeon his whole life, but that didn't mean he didn't know what the typical colors for Weavile and Ivysaur were. A year ago, he had seen a couple of them passing through on an exploration.

"Shinx shinx shinx shinx?" He asked, hoping that even though Charcoal and Timber couldn't understand his words, one of them would at least get his message.

"Argh…it's two creeps from the Shadows of Darkness Army!" Timber said through clenched teeth, unintentionally answering Thunder's query.

"Who are you?!" Charcoal demanded.

"I, am Violet, one of the S.O.D Army's best soldiers. The Weavile answered, a proud look on her face, coupled by a baleful simper. However, her eyes then glazed over as she glanced at the Ivysaur next to her out of the corners of her eyes. "And this imbecile next to me is Ivan. Without a doubt the worst warrior I have ever met. Not to mention the dumbest."

The grass-type was thunderstruck. His eyes blazed with rage and furry at Violet's comment and without thinking, snapped at her, a gravely tone in his voice. "Dumbest? Dumbest! I'm smarter than two of you put together!"

"If you're here to take Timber away, you've got another thing coming!" yelled Charcoal, both his fists tightly clenched in anger.

Ivan scoffed at the Charmander's statement. "Huh, that's what you think, Charmander! What do you think, shall we take care of these three?" the Ivysaur crossly asked Violet.

"For once," the black Weavile began with a long, deep sigh. "You actually came up with a good idea. I'd say you have half a brain, but since we were sent to do this-"

"Now hold on a minute!" Ivan cried. "We were ordered just to give the Treecko the initiation test. Who says what we're going to do to the Charcoal and Shinx has to do with initiation?"

"Are you requesting a battle?" Timber asked, arms crossed over his dark red chest.

"Why yes, yes we are!" answered Violet, a malevolent smirk on her face. "And our first target…will be you!" A dark purple aura encircled her left claws. She lunged at Timber and attempted to attack with a Night Slash across the Treecko's chest.

"Not so fast!" Timber shouted. He sprang into the air, twisted his body into a back flip, and smacked his tail against the underside of Violet's chin. The sinister Weavile was sent into the air a few feet from the force of the Pound. While his opponent was in the air, the adolescent Treecko launched a round of bullet seeds, hitting Violet head on. The attack sent the black Weavile flying several feet.

Meanwhile, Ivan was battling against Thunder and Charcoal. From his flowering bulb that grew from his back, there emerged a pair of slender emerald vines. The lianas wrapped around the waists of the young Shinx and the Charmander. Ivan lifted the Pokémon up several feet, smirking as he watched them struggling to escape their bonds.

"You really think flopping around like Magikarp out of water will free you?"

"Maybe not. But I'm sure this will work!" Charcoal declared. He threw back his head, readying his next attack. As soon as his cranium returned to level, the Charmader unleashed a salvo of red hot embers, targeting not Ivan himself, but the Ivysaur's vines. The vines burst into flames almost instantaneously.

A rush of white hot pain ran through Ivan's body. With a pained cry, he jerked back, loosening his grip on Thunder and Charcoal.

While in the air, the adolescent Charmander fired a second Ember attack, this time aiming at the black Ivysaur himself. Then, as soon as his feet hit the ground, Charcoal sprinted toward his foe. Before Ivan could react, the fire-type Pokémon lashed at him with sharp, ivory claws.

Thunder stood back for a moment to analyze the situation, his teeth crackling with electricity. He noticed how Ivan kept his distance when attacking, using his vines as whips. The Ivysaur never attacked Charcoal from more than a few feet away, jumping back whenever the Charmander attacked from a close range. That information running through his head, the Shinx dropped down and crawled until he was parallel with Ivan's side. He tensed his shoulders as he silently approached his foe, slowly edging toward Ivan.

Finally, the Ivysaur's black skin was all that was in Thunder's line of vision. Ivan had not noticed the Shinx yet. Using that to his advantage, the Flash Pokémon struck. His teeth pieced Ivan's skin, his Thunder Fang sending jolts of electricity coursing through the grass-type's body, and causing it to go into spasms.

Timber charged Violet with a Quick Attack, his body a green and red blur against the blue background that was the sky. Like a torpedo that had just been discharged from a submarine, the Treecko metaphorically sailed across the grassy terrain.

Violet watched as the grass-type Pokémon rushed towards her. _"Just get a little closer Treecko…"_ the Weavile thought.

"Hey, I bet you can't escape this one!" Timber called out, getting ever closer to his adversary.

"Not a problem!" Violet cried out. By this time, Timber was only a few feet away. "_Perfect, just perfect."_ Like a bullet from a gun, Violet's body shot toward her green-skinned opponent. Her head smacked into Timber's torso with great strength, sending him soaring as if he was no more than a stuffed animal.

"Argh!" Timber cried out as he flew through the air. He smacked right into a tree, his head hitting the rough, brown bark of the trunk. The Treecko slid down the tree, concurring several cuts in the process.

Grunting in pain, his teeth tightly clenched, Timber pulled himself up to his hands and knees. He turned his head behind his shoulder to look at the Weavile who had done this deed.

"You S.O.D creeps are going to pay for this!" Timber called out. "Bullet Seed!" The Wood Gecko Pokémon aimed the projectile attack at Violet. The glowing green seeds pelted the black Weavile, sending her back a few feet. Not to be outdone however, Violet tried her own projectile attack. An ice cold wind, light blue in shade and hue. She lengthened her arms to their full span and launched an Icy Wind at Timber.

Being a grass-type, it was no surprise that the adolescent Wood Gecko Pokémon received more damage than one of another type would. Luckily for Timber, though, Icy Wind was a rather weak attack.

"Ha! You really think a simple Icy Wind is gonna stop me?" the green-skinned Pokémon inquired as soon as the Zephyr had finally ceased.

"As a matter of fact, yes I do!" All at once, Violet sprinted over to the young Treecko. She jumped up, back flipped over Timber's shoulders, and fired a second Icy Wind at his back.

With the close proximity of the maneuver, more damage was done to Timber's body. As a wave of sheer cold coursed through him, piercing through his skin and numbing up his muscles. With his muscles half frozen, the adolescent Pokémon's movements would become sluggish.

On the other side of the battle, Ivan was having a harder time then Violet. This could be accounted for the fact that the black Ivysaur was fighting not one, but two Pokémon. Combined with the fact that one of his opponents knew a fire attack, the Ivysaur was in for a tough battle the moment he issued the challenge. While Charcoal's Ember did not carry near as much fire power as a Fire Blast or Flare Blitz, the truth remained that Ivan was weak against all offensive fire moves.

In addition, while his teammate was firing salvos after salvos of hot embers at Ivan, Thunder's jaws had moved to one of the Ivysaur's vines. Powerful jolts of electricity coursed from the Shinx's teeth, pulsed through the green liana and ran through the body of the grass-type Pokémon known as Ivan.

"You…may think…you have the…upper hand," Ivan managed to say. "But this battle has only begun!" All at once, several razor sharp leaves shot out from his bulb. The foliage hacked at Thunder and Charcoal's skin, cutting off the rest of their attacks. The leaves also managed to leave quite a few cuts across their bodies.

"Ugh…this guy is tough," Charcoal said to Thunder. "But then again, so are we." A sly smile appeared on his face. "You ready for this Thunder?"

"Shinx!"

"Alright, then let's do this! On three, we charge. One, two, three!"

Back at the other battle, Timber has been considerably weakened from Violet's attacks. His body was numbed from the aforesaid Icy Wind and numerous nicks and bruises littered his body. Still, his determination didn't waiver. "I'm still standing here! Your attacks aren't very strong. In fact, they're extremely weak!"

"Weak? Not on your life!" the Weavile shouted, eyes filled to the brim with rage. The purple aura of a Night Slash encircled around her claws. She raised her arms up in the air in preparation to strike. But Timber was readying his own move, a Quick Attack. She dashed toward Violet as fast as he could muster.

_Slam!_

_Slash!_

Both moves connected head on, the Pokémon receiving quite a bit of damage in the process. Weakly, the two combatants slumped to the ground, slamming into the soft grass. Two deep wounds ran down Timber's sides and Violet had a large bruise on her torso.

"_I've got to get up! I can tell the Weavile can't continue, so that means I win the battle!" _With some force, Timber lifted himself onto his hands and knees and weakly crawled over to his friends. The sight of Ivan lying on the ground and Charcoal and Thunder standing over him, told the Treecko everything he needed to know. A small smile formed on his face. His teammates had several cuts and bruises across their bodies, but other than that, they seemed just fine.

"Great work you guys."

Hearing that voice, Charcoal and Thunder turned to look at their friend. Both were quite shocked at the Treecko's appearance, as evidenced by how their eyes widened when they saw him.

"Timber, are you okay?" Charcoal inquired, approaching his friend.

"Don't you worry about me, buddy. I'll be just fine after some rest." Timber winced slightly, indicating that he was in more pain then he let on.

Thunder slipped under Timber, and tried lifting him up. The Wood Gecko Pokémon was a little heavy, however, so the Shinx could only lift half his body. "Shinx, shinx?"

"I can't understand your words Thunder, but I get your message," Charcoal remarked. He walked over and lifted the other end of Timber's body.

"Thanks pals…" The Wood Gecko Pokémon managed to say weakly, his vision steadily darkening. Though try as he might, he could not keep himself awake. Finally, after a few seconds, Timber slowly slipped into the realm of unconsciousness….


	13. A New Life

**Alright! I'm back! Miss me? I sure hope so. *Laughs* Okay then, it's time for me to break out another chapter of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Shadows of Darkness. And guess what? We are now at the halfway point of this fanfic. So grab a bowl of popcorn and enjoy what I have to offer.**

**I'd like to thank the following for reviewing. Greatly appreciated it!**

-**SytheRider**

**-ShadowDragoon32**

**Disclaimer: And before I forget, I don't own Pokemon. **

Muffled voices came from the other side of the bed Timber was lying on. Wincing as he turned his head to the side, the Wood Gecko Pokémon forced his eyes open. In front, were three blurs-one orange, the another black, and the third, light blue. Timber shut those eyes of his, in a strained blink. When he opened them again, he found that the colored smears he saw before had morphed into shapes he was familiar with-Charcoal, Shinx, and the Mightyena nurse that worked in the infirmary.

Timber gingerly rubbed his sore head, his hand touching a small bump on the top. Still, he managed to force a small smile, as he looked at his friends. "Hey guys," he uttered simply.

Charcoal smiled when he saw his best friend awake. "Hey there Timber. How do ya feel?"

"I'm fine, buddy. It takes more than two Shadows of Darkness warriors to bring me down!" the Treecko said proudly, to which Charcoal simply shook his head, both their smiles never leaving their faces.

Thunder propped his forepaws up on the bed. His head cocked to one side, he spoke. "Shinx, shinx, shinx, shinx, shinx, shinx?"

Timber and Charcoal looked at the electric-type in confusion. "I sure wish I knew what you were saying, Thunder," Charcoal said.

"Me too," the Treecko agreed.

The Charmander hesitated before continuing to speak. "While…we both like having you on our team, Thunder, the truth is, it's going to be hard for all three of us to work together if we can't understand a word you're saying. Do you understand what I mean?"

Thunder nodded his head. Understood he did.

"We just wish you could speak," Timber told the Flash Pokémon. "Luckily, there is this place on the second floor known as the Civilization Center. You may have heard Charcoal and I mention it once while in Perilgren Forest."

"You see Thunder," Charcoal continued for the Wood Gecko Pokémon. "The center is used to get formally wild Pokémon used to living in a civilized community like Cobalt City. And one of the things they teach there is talking."

"That's correct," The Mightyena said with a nod.

Charcoal looked Thunder in the eyes, a large grin on his face. "What do you say? Do you think you might want to learn how to speak our language?"

"Shinx, shi!" The young electric-type Pokémon replied gleefully.

"That sounds good to me," Timber began. "I'll come-yow!" The adolescent Treecko had risen into what could be called a half-sitting position when a flash of pain shot through his body. He gritted his teeth, in an attempt to avoid crying out."

"I'm afraid you can't come with your friends, Timber. You still need to rest for a little while. I'll get you a couple of Oran Berries to ease the pain," the nurse said kindly, heading for a wooden shelve filled with bags of said fruits shortly after she spoke.

With a sigh of disappointment, the Wood Gecko Pokémon slowly laid back down onto his bed. He turned to Charcoal and Thunder, a small smirk slowly growing on his face. "I sure wish I could come with you guys. But…doctor's orders, ya know. Good luck Thunder," Timber finished with a wink. "I'm confident you'll be talking just like the rest of us in no time!"

The young Shinx laughed a little, while he nodded in agreement at the same time.

"Come on Thunder, let's get you to the Civilization Center," Charcoal said with a smile, as he motioned the Flash Pokémon to follow him. Before the two walked out the door, the Charmander turned his head, his eyes looking right at Timber as he spoke.

"Get well soon, buddy."

A calm sort of silence filled the room as the young Treecko slowly nodded his head, a simple smile present on his muzzle. Charcoal returned the grin. Slowly, he and Thunder walked out of the room, and the fire-type Pokémon silently closed the door behind them.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Thunder and Charcoal walked down the stone steps on their way to the second floor where the Civilization Center was located. During this time, the adolescent Shinx took this moment to look at his surroundings. Since he had lived his entire life in a dungeon that had its layout constantly changed by some sort of temporal immorality, it felt weird to be in a place where not one part was altered. Thunder's eyes wandered from the burning torches, with their flames a red hot orange, over to the many Pokémon walking up and down the limestone stairwell. A Mudkip scampered up, looking to be in quite a bit of a hurry. Meanwhile, an adolescent Syther calmly walked down, his face showing the complete acuity typical of that species of Pokémon.

Before he knew it, he and Charcoal had reached the second floor of the Exploration Guild of Cobalt City.

"Now let's see…" the orange Pokémon began, looking around the room. "Where was the Center again? Ah-ha! There it is!" Charcoal cried, noticing a door on the western side of the area. "Alright then, let us-"

"Hey Charcoal!"

The Charmander was just about to take a step over to the Civilization Center's entrance, when a familiar voice called out his name. Charcoal turned around to see Team Stormrider-Static Pikachu and Hazel Pachirisu-running up to him.

"Static! Hazel! Nice of us to run into each other this afternoon! How'd your assignment go?"

Hazel sighed. "Eh…not so well…" she said with hesitation, a faraway look in her face.

"Why? What happened?"

Static explained what had gone on that day. "It happened like this. Hazel and I were appointed to escort a Furret to Redthorn Knoll, by way of the Sandont Desert Mystery Dungeon."

Charcoal slowly nodded. "Go on."

"At first things went well, except for…" The Pikachu trailed off, obviously not wanting to continue.

"Except for what?" Charcoal asked, his head cocked to one side.

Hazel took the stage when her Pikachu partner didn't speak. "You see, this Furret had a…her personality was…unique, to say the least. And by unique, I mean she was a self-centered, demanding, snobbish Pokémon! She kept ordering us around, getting into trouble and demanding that Static and I get her out of it. And guess what?" the Electric Squirrel Pokémon asked Charcoal.

"She didn't even try to get out of her self-induced troubles herself. "

"That's right," Static replied simply.

"So, we had to spend most of our time rescuing a troublesome Furret," Hazel rolled her eyes in sheer annoyance.

"But how did you fail the mission?" Charcoal inquired, scratching his head.

"We ran into-or should I say the Furret ran into some trouble," Hazel answered. "She walked right in the middle of a nest of wild Trapinch."

The fire-type she was talking to winced at the Pachirisu's statement. "Let me guess, she demanded you two to help her out? And since your electric attacks can't phase Trapinch, they defeated you and you were all expelled from the Mystery Dungeon? Am I right?"

Static nodded, slowly. "Precisely. And when we woke up, who do you think blamed was blamed for the failed mission? Us."

The Electric Mouse Pokémon's partner tried to finished Team Stormrider's tale of woe. "Yep, and that Furret just flipped out when she woke up. We tried to reason with her but-"

The Pikachu interrupted the Eclectic Squirrel Pokémon. "That's not quite true. As I recall, [i]_I[/i] _was the one trying to reason with the Furret. You, Hazel, were…not too friendly with her."

The Pachirisu exhaled deeply, then continued the story. "Anyway…we…I mean, Static tried to reason with the Furret. But, she wouldn't listen to us. Instead, she flipped out as I mentioned, and said that any other Pokémon would be better than us when it comes to battling! The nerve of her!"

Charcoal nodded in understanding. "I see…then what happened?"

"The Furret upped and left," Static responded. "She said she was going to find some other Pokémon to escort her. And that's how our day went."

"Gee, I'm sorry you both had to go through all that," Charcoal said. "It's too bad about what happened."

Static had to agree. "We know. Thanks for caring, Charcoal."

Feeling ignored, Thunder spoke up. "Shinx, shinx, inx?"

The adolescent Charmander could have slapped himself for forgetting about the Flash Pokémon next to him. "Ugh! Sorry about that," he apologized, turning to met Team Stormrider after. "Static, Hazel, I'd like you both to meet the newest member of Team Comet, Thunder the Shinx!"

Hazel, her spirits rising at the sight of the blue-furred electric-type Pokémon, smiled. "Why, what an adorable little guy!"

"Hey there, Thunder," Static said with a grin. "Welcome to the guild. Where did you meet him?" the young Pikachu asked Charcoal, his ears twitching.

"In Perilgren Forest," the fire-type Pokémon explained. "Timber sort of…bumped into him. We battled and later Thunder helped us defeat a pack of wild Poochyena."

"Cool, very cool," Hazel stated. "Speaking of which, I don't see Timber with you. Where is he?"

Charcoal sighed deeply, not in annoyance from the Electric Squirrel Pokémon's question, but from the slightly painful memory he was about to recount. "Remember the Shadows of Darkness Army I told you about over a week ago?"

Static gave a quick nod. "Yeah. Wait, did they capture Timb-" the Pikachu stopped himself when a flash of realization hit him. "No, I guess not. You'd be pretty down if that happened."

"Fortunately, you're right about that, Static. Timber wasn't captured. He was however, injured. Two S.O.D warriors, a Weavile named Violet and an Ivysaur known as Ivan, showed up when we were almost to Cobalt City. They demanded a battle. We won, but Timber got a few nasty scraps in the process. He's in the infirmary resting up right now," the Charmander finished.

"I'm sorry to hear that happened," Hazel started to say. "But, look on the bright side. At least he wasn't captured."

"Yeah, you're right out about that," the adolescent Charmander agreed. "Well, I don't want to keep you guys if you have anything you need to do right now."

The young Pikachu in front of him shook his head and gave a hearty laugh. "Nah, we're fine. So, are you heading to the Civilization Center?"

"How'd you know that?"

"Well, you have a new partner and I'm sure you'd like for Thunder here to know how to talk. Besides, you were facing the door of the center when we spotted you. "

A crooked grin crossed Charcoal's muzzle. "Hmm, I you have a very good point."

"Shinx, shinx, shinx, shinx?" Thunder asked, growing a bit impatient.

"I don't know what you just asked, but if it's about the center, don't worry, we're heading there right now," the fire-type Pokémon said, before turning back to the other two electric-type Pokémon. "Sorry to you both, but we really need to get going."

"Nah, don't worry about it. We understand," Hazel said with a wink. She faced Thunder and spoke to the Flash Pokémon. "I wish you good luck. You'll like living in a community such as Cobalt."

"Shinx!"

"Well, it was nice seeing you again, Charcoal," Static said.

"Same here," said the Charmander, as he and Thunder turned around and headed for the Civilization Center. Team Stormrider watched as the two Pokémon walked away, smiles on both their faces. They looked at the Team Comet members for a few more seconds, before turning around, and heading up the stairs.

Charcoal and Thunder approached the wooden door of the Civilization Center. The Charmander raised a balled up fist and knocked on the fine lumber. "Hello? Anyone in there?"

The door opened to reveal a motherly Delcatty. A sweet smile was etched on her face as she spoke to the two young Pokémon. "Why, hello there kids. And what may I help you both with?"

"Hello ma'am," Charcoal said with a polite tone of voice. "Yes, there is something you could help us with. See my friend here," he took this moment to gesture to Thunder next to him. "Is a wild Pokémon from Perilgren Forest. And we'd like for him to learn how to act in a civilized community."

The Delcatty swept her eyes over to the adolescent Shinx. "Why of course we'll help you live in an urbane society like Cobalt City. Two hours a day for ten weeks to start off with."

"Ten whole weeks? Everyday? For two whole hours?" Charcoal repeated. "Wow, I never thought it would take that long. And that's just for a start."

"That's right," the Delcatty nodded. "Now, may I ask your names?"

"I'm Charcoal, and this is Thunder. We're members of Team Comet."

"It's nice to meet you both," the Normal-type said with a tender smile on her face. "I'm Kate, but you may call me Ms. Delcatty if you wish."

"Shinx, shinx, shinx?"

Charcoal glanced over in the direction of the blue-furred Pokémon, a confused look etched on his face. "Since you teach wild Pokémon how to talk, do you think you can translate for me?"the Charmander asked Kate.

The Delcatty chuckled slightly. "I'm not the only Pokémon who works in the Civilization Center. I don't know the language of every Pokémon species in the world. However, I do know a little bit of Shinx. I think young Thunder here is asking when he can start his classes. And my answer is this; if he so wishes too, he could start right now."

The young fire-type Pokémon looked at Thunder, a beaming smile on his face. "What do you say buddy? Want to get a head start on talking and stuff?"

"Shinx!" cried the Flash Pokémon with a nod.

Kate was the next to speak. "Well, that settles it. We'll be finished with class in two hours. Does he know where his team room is?"

"My partner and I will come by later to pick him up after this first class here,"

"Alright, I will see you then," the Delcatty said. With that, she ushered Thunder into the room, grins present on the faces of both Pokémon. Soon, the door was slowly shut closed, Charcoal watching very closely. It wasn't until the sound of the wood façade setting into the doorframe reached his 'ears' that the adolescent Charmander finally turned around and headed back to the infirmary. As he walked, a few memories flashed inside his mind-memories of the day.

On one hand, he was happy that Team Comet's latest mission was a success, and that Thunder was now part of their team. However, he was also worried about the well-being of Timber. If the S.O.D Army had managed to track them down near Cobalt City, who knows what else could happen. Not just to Timber, but to the entire guild if the Shadows Of Darkness Army knew about it. Unless…

With a sigh, Charcoal lifted his foot for the last time. Instead of walking over to the infirmary though, the Charmander headed out of the guild. It was time to find Dusk.


	14. Regulations

**Guess who's back! Sorry for the late chapter folks. That's what happens when one works on three stories at the same time. Yes, I'm a busy girl, ain't I? *winks*Anyway, let's get down to buisness, shall we? **

**First off, I would like to thank SyctheRider for reviewing my last chapter. **

**Second, I regret to inform everyone that I, in fact, do not own Pokemon. **

**Third, enjoy the chapter! **

It was a quaint little house, built many years ago. Erosion caused by wind and weather had worn down the white sandstone bricks, some of the slabs beginning to crumble. And yet somehow, someway, that edifice had managed to keep on standing.

It was there that Dusk spent all his days, the place that had been his home since the start of his adulthood.

At the present moment the Dark-type Pokémon was busy overlooking some maps of the region. He meticulously scanned the atlases, his yellow eyes moving along the penned trails.

A sudden knock on the door snapped his attention from the maps. With a soft grunt, Dusk pushed himself into a standing position and sauntered over to the door. He placed a black paw over the wooden entrance and gave it a small push. The door swung open, the hinges creaking a little as a young Charmander was revealed to the Umbreon's world.

"Ah, Charcoal. What brings you to my door this fine afternoon?" Dusk asked, pleased to see the young Fire-type Pokémon. "Did you have a successful mission?"

Charcoal nodded. "Yep. Timber and I reunited two Pokémon friends. Not only that, but we've got a new team member. A Shinx named Thunder."

"Ah, very nice. Good job to you both," Dusk said, quite satisfied at Team Comet's latest achievement.

"Thanks Dusk," the Charmander replied. However, instead of a glad look on his face, sadness had crossed his visage. Sadness that the Umbreon had no trouble picking up.

"Something troubling you, Charcoal? I would imagine that someone in your situation would be happy that you had a successful assignment."

"Oh, don't get me wrong, Dusk. I am happy. However…" Charcoal hesitated a bit, trying to think of what to say next. "You see, when we were coming back from Perilgren Forest, we were ambushed by two S.O.D soldiers."

Upon hearing this, the black-furred Pokémon leaned forward, his eyes wide. "Again? Did you all make it back to Cobalt alright?"

"Kind of. The soldiers pretty much forced us into a battle with them before we could escape. We won, but Timber got injured in the fight. He'll be fine, he just needs to rest in the infirmary. But here's what's really worrying me. I think the Shadows of Darkness Army is after him."

"Timber?"

Charcoal meekly nodded in response. "Uh-huh. They keep asking for him. And, shortly before we both met, he had been running from the army. So far he's gotten away from them, but I'm worried that one day…" the Fire-type Pokémon halted his story then and there. The young creature just could not go on with his tale.

Dusk, understanding Charcoal's plight, did not force the Charmander to go on. However, he did ask a question that had been on his mind ever since the S.O.D army had been mentioned;

"You don't have to continue if you don't want to. However, there's something I think I need to ask you. This last time you met up with the Shadows of Darkness Army, where were you guys?"

"The outskirts of the city."

* * *

"Hey Charcoal, can you tell me why we're here?"

Those were the words asked by one Timber Treeko as he and his teammates awaited the start of a meeting. One that had been declared ever so suddenly. Right after Charcoal told Dusk where Violet and Ivan had ambushed them, the Umbreon suddenly grew ridged, as if an Electric-type Pokémon had just cast a Thunderwave attack on him. When asked what was wrong, the black-furred Pokémon did not answer. Instead, he muttered something about starting a meeting, immediately.

"_A meeting for what?" Charcoal had asked._

"_No time to explain now. See if you can't get Timber and…Thunder to come," Dusk had explained, almost forgetting the name of the little Shinx that was now part of Team Comet._

"_Hey Dusk, are you feeling okay?" _

"_No time to talk now, I must be going," the Umbreon had simply stated, rushing out the door like he had some sort of agenda that desperately needed to be completed. _

_For a while, Charcoal had just stood there in the doorway, his mouth hung open just slightly as he watched the more experienced Pokémon vanish from his field of vision. "I wonder what's up with him…" he said to himself, head cocked to one side. "Well, I'd better not question it," the adolescent Charmander had stated, shrugging those orange-skinned shoulders of his seconds after._

Back in the present, Charcoal glanced at Timber and expelled a soft sigh from his mouth. "I wish I knew, buddy. All I know is, poor Dusk seemed pretty worried about something. I suspect it has something to do with the Shadows of Darkness Army because he first started acting weird when I mentioned them to him."

"The S.O.D. Army?" the young Treecko asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did you tell Dusk how we managed to mop the floor with Violet and Ivan?"

"Not in those exact words, but yeah, I suppose. Why do you ask?" the Fire-type inquired, his orange-skinned cranium tilted to one side.

From Timber's mouth came a small snicker. "Because," he began. "I'm kind of hoping the purpose of this meeting is to tell everyone that we of Team Comet have been handpicked to personally take down the Shadows of Darkness Army."

Thunder had to disagree with the adolescent Wood Gecko Pokémon. "Shinx, shinx, shinx." he said, shaking his head in the process.

Timber tilted his head to one side as he listened to the Flash Pokémon's retort. "Still wish I knew what you were saying. Speaking of which, how early did you pull him out, Charcoal?" he asked, remembering how the two suddenly showed up at the infirmary around a couple hours after they left.

"_There you are, Charcoal. What took you so long?" the grass-type had wondered. "Did you decide to stay with Thunder to see how the class runs?"_

"_No, I went to Dusk's home and I told him about our day," Charcoal explained. "But that's not what I came here to tell you. Timber, how are you feeling right now?" _

_With a grunt, the Wood Gecko Pokémon sat up in bed, a grin on his face. "I'm feeling pretty good right now. Those Oran Berries are miracle-workers!" _

_It was then that the Mightyena nurse next nearby spoke up. "That's very good to hear, Timber. In fact, if you feel well enough, you may leave the infirmary if you so wish."_

_Hearing that, Charcoal suddenly spoke up. "I kind of need him too, since all able Pokémon are to come to the meeting hall immediately. I actually had to pull Thunder out of his class a bit early," the fire-type had explained, jerking his head in the direction of the door._

"_Is that so?" the nurse had asked, watching as Timber slid off the bed, his feet hitting the dirt floor with a small thump. "It must be pretty important if that's the case. Unfortunately, I'm need here, so I can't come. But you two enjoy yourselves."_

"_**Something tells me that's not going to be possible**__…" Charcoal had thought, grabbing the arm of one Timber Treecko. The Wood Gecko Pokémon had no time to object before he was pulled forward at a pretty good clip._

"I asked you about that, but you were in a pretty big hurry and didn't answer me," Timber stated in the present time.

"Ah, yes," Charcoal began, clearing his throat. "I reckon I pulled him out fifteen or so minutes early," the Charmander stated, answering Timber's question at long last. Out of the corners of those blue eyes of his, he saw something enter the meeting hall. And when he did, he almost couldn't believe the sight. A tall Dragonite walked into the room, his build one of great strength. To Charcoal, there was no mistaken it-everything about this Dragon-type Pokémon just screamed 'Guild Master.'

His posture straight and true, he walked over to a wooden podium, his gait one of firm steadiness. The Dragonite's hands were clasped behind his back, ivory claws interlocking. When he at last reached the podium and faced the audience of several hundred, the various Pokémon in the stands could see the serious in his visage. And yet…there were also thin rivulets of warmth and compassion seeping out of that rigid façade.

At the other end of the stage opposite from the side the Dragonite had entered, was a Wartortle. In his hands, were several pieces of paper-if one was right in front of the Turtle Pokémon, they would have noticed that a few pieces of parchment had deep creases in them, like they had been folded, then pressed down at the pleats. The Wartortle greeted the Dragonite with a nod, and then with a cough, began to speak.

"Greetings fellow Pokémon. We apologize for any inconvenience this sudden meeting may cause, but we have something of utmost importance to tell you all. And here to chair the meeting is Cobalt Guild Master Draco," the Wartortle finished, gesturing towards the Dragonite standing behind the podium.

"Ah yes," Draco began, taking the papers the Wartortle handed him just then. "Greetings all and welcome to this meeting. We have recently gotten reports that the Shadows of Darkness Army has been spotted close to the city. Now for those who have never heard of the Army, allow me to explain. The Shadows of Darkness Army, also known as the S.O.D Army, is a group of malicious Pokémon. Their one goal, is to wreak havoc. Now, these sinister Pokémon have a couple major difference between others. For their skin is a jet black color, giving rise to their name.

"No one is sure what causes this change, other than an altering of the Pokémon's genetic code." the Dragon-type continued. "Many theories abound. Some suggest that a corrupt Psychic-type Pokémon very high up in the S.O.D ranks may telepathically manipulate something."

"_I hope __**that's**__ not the case,"_ a group of Psychic-type Pokémon thought, their musings sent telepathically through the minds of the rest of the Pokémon in the audience.

Draco resumed speaking. "Like I said, it's only a theory. Others, however, believe it could be the work of some sort of mysterious artifact. And it's not just the color of the skin and that changes, For when a Pokémon is forced to join the S.O.D army, they lose their very spirit."

At those last few words, chatter had begun to erupt from the audience like lava from a volcano.

"They lose their spirit?"

"The essence that makes them, them?"

"Are you kidding me?"

Draco allowed a brief moment for the Pokémon in the audience to speak, before continuing with the meeting. "Yes, those who are forced to join the Shadows of Darkness Army pay one of the ultimate prices in losing their spirit."

As he listened to this, Charcoal thought back to when Cyphon, Violet, and Ivan had paid them a 'visit'. How they acted almost like normal Pokémon. Well, as normal as one working for something like the S.O.D Army could be, that is. However, both Dusk and Draco had said that a Pokémon who is forced to join the Army looses their spirit. If that was the case, shouldn't the Amy's soldiers act in a way akin to mindless robots?

Of course, Dusk did say that a few Pokémon, as unbelievable as that may be, actually joined the Army on their own will. Therefore, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to assume that those like Violet, Cyphon, and Ivan had decided to willingly become warriors for the Shadows of Darkness Army.

As he thought about all this, young Charcoal Charmander almost missed a very important announcement;

"… Now, as I mentioned before, a couple S.O.D soldiers were spotted very close to the city," Draco continued. "This is the first time such a thing has happened. Because of this, I'm afraid I am going to have to put a restriction on Exploration Teams. Until I say otherwise, Beginner and Intermediate Teams are not allowed to travel out of Cobalt City without a Pokémon from one of the Advance Teams as an escort."

"Did you hear that?" asked Timber, elbowing Charcoal in the shoulder. "We have to have an escort from now on! Hmm…maybe we can find away to advance in the ranks quicker then we're supposed to be able to…"

"I don't think that's possible," Charcoal explained. "See, I read something about this place before I came here, and it said that Exploration Teams only advance at the end of that year."

"Really?" the Wood Gecko Pokémon asked, tilting his head to one side. "Bummer. Isn't that right, Thunder?" he inquired, turning his head to look at the Flash Pokémon in question.

"Shinx , shinx," the electric-type Pokémon said with a nod.

"Hold it," Charcoal said, raising a finger in the air. "Guild Master Draco has something else to say. Sounds important."

And important it was.

"Also, those who have yet to graduate from the guild, are hereby forbidden to take any missions in and around the Slatehelm Mountains. I haven't the power to stop anyone from going there on their own terms, but…........."

Timber heard no more of the Dragonite's speech. For the Wood Gecko Pokémon now felt incredible ire welling up within him. Indignation that, had he had a smidgeon less control of his actions, would have erupted like a volcano, its lava a tributary of words he would later wish he could take back. Instead, he kept his feelings bottled up-outside-Externally, the grass-type just looked mildly annoyed.

Internally however…

"_Ugh! The nerve of that guy! Just because he happens to be the Guild Master, does not mean he can just forbid us all to take missions in the Slatehelm Mountians. It would be one thing if he said we couldn't go without an escort. But in general? Preposterous! Absolutely preposterous!"_

"And so," Draco began the tail end of his speech. "That's all I have to say about this matter for now. Everyone is free to go about their normal routines as much as possible. Thank you all for your time and patience."

* * *

"Can you believe it? We can't go on any missions without an escort, _and_ we can't take assignments in and around the Slatehelm Mountians…at all!" Timber cried, resisting the urge to pound his fist against the stone wall of their room. "What is with this guy? Forbidding us to go near the Slatehelm Mountians. I mean it's ridiculous!"

Of much more understanding, was Charcoal. "Now look Timber. The Guild Master had a very good reason for doing what he did. He's just trying to do what he can to help make sure no more Pokémon are forced to join the Shadows of Darkness Army, that's all."

"Shinx, Inx," Thunder added, nodding his head in agreement.

The Treecko simply shrugged. "Eh, maybe. But still…"

With a smile crossing his visage, Charcoal laid a hand on the Grass-type's shoulders. "Don't worry about these new rules too much. Hopefully, they will only be temporary."

But as he thought about it, the young Charmander had a bad feeling that 'temporary' in this context might mean until the S.O.D Army was disposed of. Such a feat like that may as well take years to perform. And though Team Comet would most likely graduate from the guild long before that, and thus wouldn't worry about these 'ridiculous rules,' as Timber so kindly put it, Charcoal felt bad for the future guild recruits. They would not have the freedom Team Comet had these first couple of weeks. The freedom to learn from their mistakes, rather than have them corrected before they happened by more skilled explorers. They would not experience any real growth, and because of that, would not be as successful as they could be.

"_Yes, hopefully." _


End file.
